
nass "PA .:- : m 

Book ■ A(c 



3 




P. VIRdlLII MARONIS 

GEORGICORUM 

LIBRI QUATUOR. 

THE 0( 

GEORGICKS OF VIRGIL, 



WITH 



AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION 



AND 



NOTES. 



BY JOHN MARTYN, F.R.S. 

PROFESSOR OF BOTANY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE. 



THE FOURTH EDITION. 






OXFORD, 

PRINTED BY W. BAXTER J 
FOR G. AND W. B. WHITTAKER, AVE MARIA LANE, LONDON. 

1819. 






K 






TO 

RICHARD MEAD, M. D. 

PHYSICIAN TO HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE II. 



SIR, 

x DESIRE leave lo present to you the follow- 
ing Work, which was begun with your approbation 
and encouragement. You will find in almost 
every page what use has been made of those 
valuable Manuscripts of Virgil, which make a 
part of your noble library ; and which you was 
pleased to lend me with that readiness, which you 
always shew in the encouragement of learning. 

Your exact acquaintance with all the fine 
authors of antiquity, makes you a proper patron 
of an edition of any of their compositions. But 
Virgil seems in a particular manner to claim your 
patronage. He, if we may credit the writers 
of his life, had made no small proficiency in 
that divine art, in the profession of which you 
have for so many years held the first place, and 
acquired a reputation equal to the great know- 



ii DEDICATION. 

ledge and humanity, with which you have exer- 
cised it. 

As the Georgicks were, in the opinion of their 
great author himself, the most valuable part of his 
Works, you will not be displeased with the pains 
that I have taken to illustrate the most difficult 
passages therein. And if I shall be so happy as 
to have your approbation of these fruits of my 
labours, I shall have no reason to fear the censure 
of others. But if they had not been composed 
with as much exactness and care as I am master 
of, I should not have ventured to desire your 
acceptance of them, from, 

Sir, 
Your most obliged 

Humble Servant, 

JOHN MARTYN. 

Chelsea, 
March 16, 1710-1. 



PREFACE. 



HUSBANDRY is not only the most ancient, but also 
the most useful of all arts. This alone is absolutely 
necessary for the support of human life ; and without it 
other pursuits would be in vain. The exercise therefore 
of this art was justly accounted most honourable by the 
ancients. Thus in the earliest ages of the world we find 
the greatest heroes wielding the share as well as the 
sword, and the fairest hands no more disdaining to hold 
a crook than a sceptre. The ancient Romans owed 
their glory and power to Husbandry : and that famous 
Republic never flourished so much, as when their great- 
est men ploughed with their own hands. Lucius Quin- 
tius Cincinnatus was found naked at the plough-tail, 
when he was summoned to take upon him the Dictator- 
ship. And when he had settled the Commonwealth, 
the glorious old man returned to the tillage of his small 
farm, laden with the praises of the Roman people. C. 
Fabricius and Curius Dentatus, those glorious patterns 
of temperance, who drove Pyrrhus out of Italy, and 
vanquished the Samnites and Sabines, were as diligent 
in cultivating their fields, as they were valiant and 
successful in war. But when the virtuous industry of 
this great people gave way to luxury and effeminacy, 
the loss of their glory attended on their neglect of 
Husbandry, and by degrees they fell a prey to bar- 
barous nations. 

a2 



iv PREFACE. 

This art has not only exercised the bodies of the 
greatest heroes, but the pens also of the most 
celebrated writers of antiquity. Hesiod, who lived in 
the generation immediately succeeding the Trojan war, 
wrote a Greek poem on Husbandry. And though 
Homer did not write expressly on this subject, yet he 
has represented Laertes, the father of his favourite hero, 
as a wise prince, retiring from public business, and de- 
voting his latter years to the tillage of his land. Demo- 
critus, Xenophon, Aristotle, Theophrastus, and several 
other Grecian philosophers, have treated of Agriculture 
in prose. Among the Romans, Cato the famous censor 
has written a treatise of rural affairs, in which he was 
imitated by the learned Varro. Cato writes like an 
ancient country gentleman, of much experience ; he 
abounds in short pithy sentences, intersperses his book 
with moral precepts, and was esteemed as a sort of rural 
oracle. Varro writes more like a scholar than a man of 
much practice : he is fond of researches into antiquity, 
enquires into the etymology of the names of persons and 
things ; and we are obliged to him for a catalogue of 
those who had written on this subject before him. 

But Virgil shines in a sphere far superior to the rest. 
His natural abilities, his education, his experience in 
Husbandry, conspired to render him the finest writer on 
this subject. No man was ever endowed with a more 
noble genius, which he took care to improve by the 
study of Greek literature, mathematics, astronomy, me- 
dicine, and philosophy. He cultivated his own lands 
near Mantua, till he was about thirty years of age, when 
he appeared at Rome, and w r as soon received into the 
favour of Augustus Caesar. Virgil wanted nothing but 
the air of a court, to add a polish to his uncommon 



PREFACE. v 

share of parts and learning. And here he had the hap- 
piness to live under the protection of the most powerful 
prince in the world, and to converse familiarly with the 
greatest men that any age or nation ever produced. 
The Pastorals of Theocritus were much admired, and 
not undeservedly ; but the Romans had never seen any 
thing of that kind in their own language. Virgil at- 
tempted it, and with such success, that he has at least 
made the victory doubtful. The Latin Eclogues dis- 
covered such a delicacy in their composition, that the au- 
thor was immediately judged capable of arriving at the 
nobler sorts of poetry. The long duration of the civil 
wars had almost depopulated the country, and laid it 
waste; there had been such a scarcity in Rome, that 
Augustus had almost lost his life by an insurrection of 
the populace. A great part of the lands in Italy had been 
divided among the soldiers, who had been too long en- 
gaged in the wars, to have a just knowledge of Agricul- 
ture. Hence it became necessary that the ancient spirit 
of Husbandry should be revived among the Romans. 
And Maecenas, who wisely pursued every thing that 
might be of service to his master, engaged the favourite 
poet in this undertaking. 

Virgil, who had already succeeded so well in the 
contention with one Greek poet, now boldly entered 
the lists with another. And if it may be questioned 
whether he exceeded Theocritus, there can be no doubt 
of his having gone far beyond Hesiod. He was now in 
the thirty-fifth year of his age, his imagination in full 
vigour, and his judgment mature. He employed seven 
years in the composition of this noble poem, which he 
called Georgicks; and when it was finished, it did not 
fall short of the expectations of his patron. 



vi PREFACE. 

Those who have been accustomed to see the noble 
art of Husbandry committed to the management of the 
meanest people, may think the majestic style which Vir- 
gil has used not well adapted to the subject. But the 
poet wrote for the delight and instruction of a people, 
whose dictators and consuls had been husbandmen. 
His expressions accordingly are every where so solemn, 
and every precept is delivered with such dignity, that 
we seem to be instructed by one of those ancient 
farmers, who had just enjoyed the honours of a triumph. 
Never was any poem finished with such exactness : 
there being hardly a sentence that we could wish omit- 
ted, or a word that could be changed, without injuring 
the propriety or delicacy of the expression. He never 
sinks into any thing low and mean ; but by a just distri- 
bution of Grecisms, antique phrases, figurative expres- 
sions, and noble allusions, keeps up a true poetical spirit 
through the whole composition. But we cannot be sur- 
prised at this extraordinary exactness, if we consider, 
that every line of this charming poem cost more than an 
entire day to the most judicious of all poets, in the most 
vigorous part of his life. Besides, it appears that he 
was continually revising it to the very day of his death. 

It would be an endless labour to point out all the 
several beauties in this poem : but it w ould be an 
unpardonable omission in an editor, to pass them 
wholly over in silence. The reader will easily observe 
the variety which Virgil uses in delivering his precepts. 
A writer less animated with a spirit of poetry, w ould 
have contented himself with dryly telling us, that it is 
proper to break the clods with harrows, and by drawing 
hurdles over them; and to plough the furrows across; 
that moist summers and fair winters are to be desired; 






PREFACE. vii 

and that it is good to float the field after it is sown. 
These precepts are just ; but it is the part of a poet to 
make them beautiful also, by a variety of expression. 
Virgil therefore begins these precepts by saying, the 
husbandman, who breaks the clods with harrows 
and hurdles, greatly helps the field ; and then he 
introduces Ceres looking down from heaven with a 
favourable aspect upon him, and on those also, who 
plough the field across, which he beautifully calls exer- 
cising the earth, and commanding the fields a . He 
expresses the advantage of moist summers and dry 
winters, by advising the farmers to pray for such 
seasons; and then immediately leaves the didactic 
style, and represents the fields as rejoicing in winter 
dust, and introduces the mention of a country famous 
for corn, owing its fertility to nothing so much as to 
this weather, and, by a bold metaphor, makes the fields 
astonished at the plenty of their harvest b . The poet 
now changes his style to the form of a question, and 
asks why he needs to mention him that floats the 
ground : he then describes the field gasping with thirst, 
and the grass withering, and places before our eyes the 
labourer inviting the rill to descend from a neighbouring 
rock; we hear the stream bubble over the stones, and 

a Multum adeo, rastris glebas qui frangit inertes, 
Vimineasque trahit crates, juvat arva: neque ilium 
Flava Ceres alto nequicquam spectat Olympo: 
Et qui, proscisso quae suscitat aequore terga, 
Rursus in obliquum verso perrumpit aratro, 
Exercetque frequens tellurem, atque imperat arvis. 

b Humida solstitia, atque hyemes orate serenas, 
Agricolae : hyberno laetissima pulvere farra, 
Lsetus ager : nullo tantum se Mysia cultu 
Jactat, et ipsa suas mirantur Gargara messes. 



viii PREFACE. 

are delighted with the refreshment that is given to the 
fields c . To mention every instance of this variety of 
expression, would be almost the same thing with 
reciting the whole poem. 

Virgil has exceeded all other poets in the justness 
and beauty of his descriptions. The summer storm in 
the first book is, I believe, not to be equalled. We see 
the adverse winds engaging, the heavy corn torn up by 
the roots, and whirled aloft, the clouds thickening, the 
rain pouring, the rivers overflowing, and the sea 
swelling, and to conclude the horror of the description, 
Jupiter is introduced darting thunder with his fiery 
right hand, and overturning the mountains; earth 
trembles, the beasts are fled, and men are struck with 
horror; the south wind redoubles, the shower increases, 
and the woods and shores rebellow. The description 
of the spring, in the second book, is no less pleasing, 
than that of the storm is terrible. We there are enter- 
tained with the melody of birds, the loves of the cattle, 
the earth opening her bosom to the warm zephyrs, 
and the trees and herbs unfolding their tender buds. 
I need not mention the fine descriptions of the cesculus, 
the citron, the amellus, or the several sorts of serpents, 
which are all excellent. The descriptions of the horse, 
the chariot race, the fighting of the bulls, the violent 
effects of lust, and the Scythian winter, can never be too 
much admired. 

c Quid dicara, jacto qui seraine cominus arva 
Insequitur, cumulosque ruit male pinguis arenae ? 
Deinde satis fluvium inducit, rivosque sequentes ? 
Et cum exustus ager morientibus aestuat herbis, 
Ecce supercilio clivosi tramitis undam 
Elicit : ilia cadens raucum per laevia murmur 
Saxa ciet, scatebrisque arentia temperat arva, 



PREFACE. ix 

The use of well adapted similes is in a manner essen- 
tial to a poem. None can be more just, than the com- 
parison of a well ordered vineyard to the Roman army 
drawn out in rank and file ; nor could any have been 
more happily imagined, than that of a bull rushing on 
his adversary, to a great wave rolling to the shore, and 
dashing over the rocks. But above all that celebrated 
simile of the nightingale, in the fourth book, has been 
no less justly than universally applauded. 

But nothing is more generally admired in poetry, 
than that curious art of making the numbers of the 
verses expressive of the sense that is contained in it. 
When the giants strive to heap one huge mountain 
upon another, the very line pants and heaves d ; and 
when the earth is to be broken up with heavy drags, 
the verse labours as much as the husband man e . We 
hear the prancing steps of the war horse f , the swelling 
of the sea, the crashing of the mountains, the resounding 
of the shores, and the murmuring of the woods &, in the 
poet's numbers. The swift rushing of the north 
wind 11 , and the haste required to catch up a stone to 
destroy a serpent 1 , are described in words as quick as 
the subject. 

d Ter sunt conati imponere Pelio Ossam. 

e.--.---..-_ Omne quotannis 
Terque quaterque solum scindendum, glebaque versis 
iEternum frangenda bidentibus. 

f Insultare solo, et gressus glomerare superbos. 

g„. _-_-«..-_ Freta ponti 
Incipiunt agitata tumescere, et aridus altis 
Montibus audiri fragor : aut resonantia longe 
Littora misceri, et nemorum increbrescere murmur. 

h Ille volat, simul arva fuga, simul aequora verrens. 

1 - - - Cape saxa manu, cape robora pastor, 
b 



x PREFACE. 

Digressions are not only permitted, but are thought 
ornamental in a poem ; provided they do not seem to 
be stuck on unartfully, or to ramble too far from the 
subject. Virgil's are entertaining and pertinent; and 
he never suffers them to lose sight of the business in 
hand. The most liable to objection seems to be the 
conclusion of the first Georgick, where he entertains 
the reader with a long account of the prodigies that at- 
tended Caesar's death, and of the miseries occasioned 
by the civil wars among the Romans. But here it may 
be observed what care the poet takes not to forget his 
subject. He introduces a husbandman in future ages 
turning up rusty spears with the civil plough-share, 
striking harrows against empty helmets, and astonished 
at the gigantic size of the bones. And when he would 
describe the whole world in arms, he expresses it by 
saying the plough does not receive its due honour, the 
fields lie uncultivated by the absence of the husband- 
men, and the sickles are beaten into swords. The 
praises of Italy, and the charms of a country life, in the 
second Georgick, seem naturally to flow from the 
subject. The violent effects of lust, in the third book, 
are described with a delicacy not to be paralleled. 
This was a dangerous undertaking; it was venturing to 
steer between Scylla and Charybdis. We need but 
consult the translations to be convinced of this. 
Dryden, endeavouring to keep up the spirit of the 
original, could not avoid being obscene and lascivious 
in his expressions; and Dr. Trapp, whose character 
laid him under a necessity of avoiding that rock, has 
sunk into an insipid flatness, unworthy of the poet 
whom he has translated. But in the original, the senti- 
ments are warm and lively, and the expressions strong 



PREFACE. xi 

and masculine. And yet he does not make use of a 
word unbecoming the gravity of a philosopher, or the 
modesty of a virgin. The pestilence that reigned 
among the Alpine cattle is confessedly a master-piece ; 
and not inferior to the admired description which 
Lucretius has given of the plague at Athens. The 
story of Orpheus and Eurydice is told in so delightful 
a manner, that, had it been less of a piece with the main 
poem, we could not but have thanked the author for 
inserting it. 

These, and innumerable other beauties, which cannot 
easily escape the observation of a judicious reader, are 
sufficient to make the Georgicks esteemed as the finest 
poem that ever appeared. But the work is not only 
beautiful, but useful too. The precepts contained in it 
are so just, that the gravest prose writers among the 
Romans have appealed to Virgil, as to an oracle, in 
affairs of Husbandry. And though the soil and climate 
of Italy are different from those of England ; yet it has 
been found by experience, that most of his rules may be 
put in practice, even here, to advantage. 

This was the poem on which Virgil depended for 
his reputation with posterity. He desired on his 
death-bed that his iEneis might be burnt; but was 
willing to trust the Georgicks to future ages. The 
reason of this conduct seems to be obvious. The 
iEneis was unfinished, and had not received the last 
hand of the author. And though it has justly been the 
admiration of all succeeding times, yet this great 
master thought it unworthy of his pen. He was con- 
scious, that it fell short of the Iliad, which he had 
hoped to exceed ; and, like a true Roman, could not 
brook a superior. But in the Georgicks, he knew that 

b2 



xii PREFACE. 

he had triumphed over the Greek poet. This poem 
had received the finishing stroke, and was therefore 
the fittest to give posterity an idea of the genius of its 
author. Nor was the poet disappointed in his expec- 
tations: for the Georgicks have been universally 
admired, even by those who are unacquainted with the 
subject. The descriptions, the similes, the digressions, 
the purity and majesty of the style, have afforded a 
great share of delight to many whom 1 have heard 
lament, that they were not able to enjoy the principal 
beauties of this poem. I had the good fortune to give 
some of my friends the satisfaction they desired in this 
point: and they were pleased to think, that my obser- 
vations on this poem would be as acceptable to the 
public, as they had been to themselves. I was without 
much difficulty persuaded to undertake a new edition 
of a work, which I had always admired, and endea- 
voured to understand, to which the general bent of my 
studies had in some measure contributed. I was 
desirous in the first place, that the text of my author 
might be as exact as possible. To this end, I compared 
a considerable number of printed editions, valuable 
either for their age, their correctness, or the skill of the 
editor. I thought it necessary also to enquire after the 
manuscripts that were to be found in England; that 
by a collection of all the various readings, I might be 
able to lay before the reader the true and genuine ex- 
pression of my author. The manuscripts, which I col- 
lated, being all that I had any information of, are seven 
in number : one of them is in the King's Library ; one 
in the Royal Library at Cambridge > one in the 
Bodleian Library at Oxford ; two in the Arundelian 
Library, belonging to the Royal Society; and two in 



PREFACE. xiii 

Dr. Mead's Library. I have collated all these myself, 
and the reader will find the various readings inserted 
in the following annotations. I have generally followed 
the edition of Heinsius, seldom departing from it, unless 
compelled by some strong reason; and I have never 
ventured to alter the text by any conjectural 
emendation, or on the authority of a single manu- 
script. 

In composing the annotations, I have carefully 
perused the grammatical comments of Servius, the 
learned paraphrase of Grimoaldus, the valuable collec- 
tions of observations, various readings, and compari- 
sons with the Greek poets, made by Fulvius Ursinus 
and Pierius ; the learned and judicious criticisms of 
La Cerda and Ruaeus, and the curious remarks of 
Father Catrou, whose French edition of Virgil did not 
fall into my hands, till the greatest part of the first 
Georgick was printed, which is the reason that I have 
not quoted him sooner. But I did not depend entirely 
on these learned commentators ; and have often ven- 
tured to differ from them, for which I have assigned 
such reasons, as I believe will be found satisfactory. 
They were all unacquainted with the subject, and 
therefore could not avoid falling into considerable and 
frequent errors. When the sense of any word or ex- 
pression has been doubtful, or variously interpreted, I 
have endeavoured to find how it has been used by the 
poet himself in other parts of his works, and by this 
means have sometimes removed the ambiguity. If this 
has failed, I have consulted the other authors, who 
wrote about the same time; and after them, the earliest 
critics, who are most likely to have retained the true 
meaning. With regard to the precepts themselves, I 



xiv PREFACE. 

have compared them with what is to be found in 
Aristotle, Cato, and Varro, whom our author himself 
evidently consulted; and with those of Columella, 
Pliny, and Palladius, who wrote before the memory of 
Virgil's rules was lost in the barbarous ages. I have 
generally given the very words of the author, whom I 
find occasion to cite, not taking them at second hand, 
as is too frequent, but having recourse to the originals 
themselves. 

I am not conscious of having assumed any observa- 
tion, for which I am indebted to any other. The 
reader will find many, which I am persuaded are not 
to be met with in any of the commentators. I have 
been very particular in my criticisms on the plants 
mentioned by Virgil : that being the part, in which I 
am best able to inform him, and which, I believe, has 
been chiefly expected from me. The astronomical part 
has given me most trouble, being that with which I am 
the least acquainted. But yet I may venture to lay the 
annotations on this subject before the reader with some 
confidence, as they have had the good fortune to be 
perused by the greatest astronomer of this, or perhaps 
of any age ; the enjoyment of whose acquaintance and 
friendship 1 shall always esteem as one of the happiest 
circumstances of my life. 

I know not whether I need make any apology for 
publishing my notes in English. Had they been in 
Latin as I at first intended, they might have been of 
more use to foreigners : but as they are, I hope they 
will be of service to my own country, which is what I 
most desire. The prose translation will, I know, be 
thought to debase Virgil. But it was never intended 
to give any idea of the poet's style ; the whole design 



PREFACE. xv 

of it being to help the less learned reader to understand 
the subject. Translations of the ancient poets into 
prose have been long used with success by the French : 
and I do not see why they should be rejected by the 
English. But those who choose to read the Georgicks 
in English verse, may find several translations by emi- 
nent men of our own country, to whom we are greatly 
obliged for their laudable endeavours, though they 
have sometimes deviated from the sense and spirit of 
the author. I have therefore pointed out most of their 
errors, that have occurred to me ; which I thought 
myself the more obliged to do, because I have found 
Virgil himself accused of some mistakes, which are 
wholly to be ascribed to a translator. I say not this to 
detract from the merit of any of those learned and 
ingenious gentlemen. I am no poet myself, and there- 
fore cannot be moved by any envy to their superior 
abilities. But as I have endeavoured to rectify the 
errors of others, so I shall be heartily glad to have my 
own corrected. I hope they are not very numerous, 
since I have spared no labour to do all the justice to 
my author that was in my power ; and have bestowed 
as much time in attempting to explain this incomparable 
work, as Virgil did in composing it. 



As nothing is more necessary for scholars, than the 
right understanding of the authors which are put into 
their hands; and as among the poets VIRGIL is the 
chief; so the accurate English translation, and learned 
notes which Dr. Marty n has made, with much pains 
and labour, upon the GEORGICKS, the most complete 
and exactly finished wwk of that poet, deserve to be 
recommended for the use of public and private schools of 
this kingdom. The authors preface to this his per- 
formance is very well worth the readers careful persual 
and particular attention. 

M. MAITTAIRE. 

Soutkampton-R&w, 
July 1, 1746. 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

GEORGICORUM 



LIBER PRIMUS. 



QUID faciat laetas segetes, duo sidere terrain 

° * rejoice, under what signs it 

Vertere, Maecenas, ulmisque adjungere vites SSSi, b L5 r jS5" the *£.*£ 

s>t . . , 'l-iii elms : what care is to be had 

Conveniat : quae cura bourn, qui cultus habendo of oxen, and how other cattle 

may be managed : what ex- 
Sit pecori : apibus quanta experientia parcis : th?fru =e a ite^ ired t0 treat 



1. Quid faciat fyc] Virgil begins 
this poem with a brief account of 
the subjects of his four books: corn 
and ploughing being the subject of 
the first, vines and other trees of 
the second, cattle of the third, and 
bees of the fourth. 

Lcetas segetes) Seges is common- 
ly used by Virgil to signify the 
field. Joyful is a noble epithet: 
we have the same metaphor used in 
some passages of the Bible. Thus 
it is in the 65th Psalm, ver. 14. 
ec The valleys shall stand so thick 
" with corn, that they shall laugh 
" and sing." 

Quo sidere.~] This expression is 
very poetical. Dryden has debased 
it by translating it, 



•when to turn 



The fruitful soil, and when to sow the 



And -when to raise on elms the teeming 
vine. 

And yet in the essay on the Geor- 
gicks, prefixed to Dryden's transla- 



tion, Addison observes that " Virgil, 
" to deviate from the common form 
tc of words, would not make use of 
" tempore, but sidere in his first 
" verse." 

3. Qui cultus,'] Pierius tells us, 
that in the Roman, the Lombaru, 
the Medicean, and some ancient 
manuscripts, it is qui. The same 
reading is in all the manuscripts I 
have collated, except that of the 
King's library, and one of Dr. 
Mead's, where it is quis. La Cerda, 
and some other printed editions, 
have quis: but Heinsius and most 
of the best editors read qui. 

4. Pecori: apibus.'] Some editions 
have atque, between pecori and api- 
bus, to avoid the synalcepha. But 
Pierius assures us, that in all the 
most ancient manuscripts he had 
seen, atque is left out. It is wanting 
in the King's, the Cambridge, the 
Bodleian, and in one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts. In another of Dr. 
Mead's, there is only que, which 
Pierius observes to have been gene- 
rally inserted in the Lombard manu- 



2 P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

?oTng\ N SnShS"ngSt" Hinc canere incipiam. Vos, 6 clarissima mundi 5 

of the world, who lead the -r • i i_ 1 J 

year sliding through the sky: .Lumina, labentem caelo quae ducitis annum: 



script, where there would be a syna- 
loepha. This figure however is fre- 
quent in Virgil: Pierius quotes many 
instances. I shall mention only one, 
which is in the third Georgick: 

Arcebis gravido peeori ; armentaque 
pasces. 

Heinsius and Masvicius leave out 
atque: but La Cerda, Ruaeus, and 
most of the common editions keep 
it in. 

Experiential] This is generally 
understood to mean the experience 
which is required in us to manage 
bees. Ruaeus interprets it in this 
sense, ee quanta industrial ut alan- 
" tur apes frugales." But in his 
notes he proposes another sense, 
making experientia to signify the 
experience, prudence, or ingenuity 
of the bees. " Prater interpretatio- 
e: nem jam traditam afferri potest 
" haec altera: Dicam qua? sit apum 
<( experientia, prudentia, ingenium, 
<e ars quaedam: non usu quidem 
" comparata, sed ingenita." Dry- 
den translates apibus quanta experi- 
entia, 

The birth and genins of the frugal bee. 
Mr. B— translates it, 

What mighty arts to thrifty bees belong. 
Dr. Trapp has it, 

The experience of the parsimonious bee. 

He is very fond of this new inter- 
pretation of Ruasus: M To me (says 
* he) it is much the best sense ; be- 
" cause it is literal, and yet most 
ec poetical. According to the other 
" construction, the expression is ve- 
u ry harsh ; and not to be support- 
ed by any parallel place that I 



" know of." This learned gentle- 
man is mistaken, when he thinks 
that only Ruceus mentions this sense ; 
for Grimoaldus had interpreted this 
passage the same way long before : 
" postremoquam frugalem solertiam 
" ipsis apibus, in congregando, et 
" custodiendo melle, divina provi- 
fe dentia concesserit, explicabo." 
But, for my part, I do not see any 
reason to reject the common inter- 
pretation; nor do I perceive why we 
may not interpret this passage, qui 
cultus sit habendo peeori; quanta ex- 
perientia sit habendis apibus. Be- 
sides it rather seems harsh to ascribe 
experience to bees, whose prudence, 
as Ruaeus himself confesses, is non 
usu comparata sed ingenita. 

Par cis.'] This epithet is frequent- 
ly applied to bees : thus Aristotle, 

if-lXoivvovri, cil xctt ru<; a^yag oil ^Xir\eCi y 
x.eti t«5 (A (ptidofAivxg ; and Pliny, 
Cceterum proeparcce, et quae alioquin 
prodigas atque edaces, non secus ac 
pigras, et ignavas proturbent; and 
Martial, parca laborat apis. 

One of Dr. Mead's manuscripts, 
instead of par cis, has paucis, which 
would make this passage be read 
thus; 

— — apibus quanta experientia, paucis 
Hinc canere inc ipi 

But I think the common reading is 
better. 

5. Vos, Sfcl The Poet having 
proposed the subject of his work, 
proceeds to the invocation of those 
deities, who preside over rural af- 
fairs. 

Clarissima mundi Luminal] Some 
are of opinion, that in these words 
Virgil does not invoke the sun and 
moon, but only Bacchus and Ceres. 
Ruaeus assents to this interpretation, 
and gives his reasons why those dei- 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



Liber et alma Ceres, vestro si munere tell us 
Chaoniam pingui glandem mutavit arista, 



O Bacchus and nourishing 
Ceres, if by your bounty 
the earth changed Chaonian 
acorns for fruitful corn, 



ties may deserve such an appella- 
tion; 1. Because they are thought to 
have discovered, and to preside over 
the harvest and vintage: 2. Because 
by them may be understod the sun 
and moon; for it is proved in Ma- 
crobius, that the sun is not only 
Liber and Dionysius, but also Jupi- 
ter, Mars, Mercury, and Hercules; 
and that the moon is Ceres. La 
Cerda contends with better reason, 
that the sun and moon are here in- 
voked distinctly from Bacchus and 
Ceres: 1. Because these words de- 
note only the sun and moon: 2. Be- 
cause leading the year is more pro- 
perly understood of those which 
lead the whole year, than of those 
which lead only two parts of it: 3. Be- 
cause Virgil seems to imitate Varro 
in this passage, who invokes the sun 
and moon distinctly from Bacchus 
and Ceres : 4. Because Virgil is un- 
derstood in this sense by Apuleius. 
As it is generally thought that 
Virgil had Varro's invocation in his 
mind; it may not be amiss to place 
it here before the reader. " Et 
" quoniam (ut aiunt) Dei facientes 
" adjuvant, prius invocabo eos, nee, 
" ut Homerus, et Ennius, Musas, 
" sed XII. deos, consenteis neque 
" tamen eos urbanos, quorum ima- 
i( gines, ad forum auratae stant, 
" sex mares, et fceminae totidem, 
" sed illos XII. deos, qui maxime 
a agricolarum duces sunt. Primum, 
* qui omnes fructus agricultural 
" caelo, et terra continent, Jovem, 
" et Tellurem. Itaque quod ii pa- 
" rentes, magni dicuntur, Juppiter 
" pater appellatur, Tellus terra ma- 
" ter. Secundo Solem et Lunam, 
" quorum tempora observantur, cum 
" quaedam seruntur et conduntur. 
" Tertio Cererem et Liberum, 
" quod horum fructus maxime ne- 



" cessarii ad victum: ab his enim 
" cibus et potio venit e fundo. 
" Quarto Robigum ac Floram, qui- 
" bus propitiis, neque rubigo fru- 
" menta, atque arbores corrumpit, 
" neque non tempestive florent. Ita- 
" que publicae Robigo ferise robiga- 
" lia, Florae ludi noralia instituti. 
u Item adveneror Miner vam et Ve- 
" nerem, quarum unius procuratio 
" oliveti, alterius hortorum,, quo 
" nomine rustica vinalia instituta. 
" Nee non etiam precor Lympham, 
" ac Bonum Eventum, quoniam 
" sine aqua omnis arida ac misera 
" agricultura, sine successu ac bono 
" eventu, frustratio est, non cul- 
" tura." 

7. Liber et alma Ceres.] These 
two deities are properly invoked to- 
gether, because temples were erected 
jointly to them, and they were fre- 
quently united in the same myste- 
ries. Lucretius has brought them to- 
gether much after the same manner: 

Nam que Ceres fertur fruges, Liberque 

liquoris 
Vitigeni laticem mortalibus instituisse. 

<&'.] Servius thinks si is used in 
this place for siquidem. 

Munere r\ Fulvius Ur sinus says, 
that, in an ancient manuscript of A. 
Colotius, it is numine. The same 
reading is in one of the Arundelian 
manuscripts. 

8. Chaoniam glandemr\ Epirus is 
often called Chaonia, because the 
Chaones, a people of Epirus, for- 
merly ruled over the whole country. 
Dodona was a city of Epirus, hear 
which was the famous grove of 
oracular oaks. Thus Virgil poeti- 
cally mentions Chaonian or Dodonean 
acorns, for acorns in general; those 
of Dodona being the most cele- 
brated. 

b 2 



4 P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

£hdSS d w^r d, S& htt thJ Poculaque inventis Acheloia miscuit uvis: 

juice of the newly discovered -p, _ 

grapes. And ye Fauns, the ±L.t vos agrestum praesentia numma Fauni, 10 

deities who assist husband- ° 

»"rw!thtL er Dr?a5iThe Ferte simul Faunique pedem, Dryadesque pu- 

nymphs who preside over 
trees : I sing vour gifts. And 
thou, Neptune, _ ~ 

Munera vestra cano. Tuque 6, cui prima fre- 



ellae: 



mentem 



9- Pocula Acheloia.'] The river 
Achelous is said to be the first that 
brake out of the earth : whence the 
name of that river was frequently 
put for water by the ancients. Thus 
Eustathius observes, that, as all high 
mountains were called Ida, so all 
water was called Achelous. This 
expression might still be more pro- 
per in the invocation of deities, as 
being more solemn; for we find in 
Macrobius, that water was called 
Achelous, chiefly in oaths, prayers, 
and sacrifices: Maxima y#g to vta^ 

y.cu iv Teas iv%x7sj Koii Iv rxtg S-virixtg. 
Fulvius Ur sinus quotes many pas- 
sages out of ancient authors, to the 
same purpose. Dryden has quite 
lost the solemnity of the expression, 
by translating it, 

Who gave us corn for mast, for water 
wine. 

Vida alludes to this passage, when 
he tells us that the poets sometimes 
put Achelous for water in general: 

Nee deerit tibi, pro fluviis, proque om- 
nibus undis, 
Pocula qui pressis Acheloia misceat uvis. 



10. Agrestum prcesenha numina 
Fauni, fyc] The Fauns and Dryads 
were usually invoked together, as 
deities who presided over rural af- 
fairs. <c Quin et Sylvanos," says 
Pliny, " Faunosque et Dearum ge- 
te nera sylvis, ac sua numina, tan- 
" quam et caelo, attributa credi- 
" mus." The original of these 
Fauns is thought to be Faunus, who 
taught the ancient Italians their re- 



ligion, and was worshipped by 
them. He was the father of Lati- 
nus, and delivered his oracles in a 
grove, not by signs, but by voice. 
We have an account of tins in the 
seventh iEneid : 

At Rex sollicitus monstris, oracula Fauni 
Fatidici genitoris adit, lucosque sub alta 
Consulit Albunea, nemorum quae max- 
ima sacro 

Fonte sonat. 

— . Subita ex alto vox reddita luco est. 

The Fauns are so called afando, be- 
cause they speak personally to men. 
They are generally thought to be 
the same with the satyrs. Horace 
seems to make Faunus the same 
with Pan: 

Velox amoenum saepe Lucretilem 
Mutat Lycaeo Faunus ; 

for Lycaeus was one of the habita- 
tions of Pan, as we find in this in- 
vocation: 

Ipse nemus linquens parrium, saltusque 

Lycaei, 
Pan ovium custos. 

The Dryads had their name^from 
£gy?, an oak. 

12. Prima.'] Various are the opi- 
nions of commentators concerning 
the meaning of this epithet. Many, 
says Servius, take it to mean olim. 
In this sense Grimoaldus has inter- 
preted it. La Cerda leaves his 
reader to choose which he pleases 
of four interpretations. 1. The earth 
may be called prima, because it ex- 
isted before the other elements. 
2. Because the earth, together with, 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



Fudit equum magno tell us percussa tridenti, 13 ^SS?^iS e r& 

^ trident, first brought forth 

Neptune: et cultor nemorum, cui pinguia i_,eae the neighing horse : and thou 

■r ' * o inhabitant of the groves, 



heaven, was said to be the parent 
of the gods. In this sense Dr. 
Trapp has translated it: 

— — Thou, at whose command 
The parent earth a sprightly steed dis- 
clos'd. 

3. Tellus prima may signify the sea- 
shore, where the horse was pro- 
duced by Neptune; for Virgil in 
another place uses prima terra in 
this sense: 

— Primaque vetant consistere terra. 

4. The Poet may allude to Attica, 
the seat of this fable, for the Athe- 
nians pretended to be the most an- 
cient people in the world. I have 
ventured to take it in what seems 
to me the most obvious sense. I 
imagine that the adjective is put 
here only for the adverb, of which 
many examples may be produced 
from our Poet: as " pede terram 
" crebra ferit." Nay, he has used 
prima in the same manner in this 
very Georgick: 

Prima Ceres ferro mortales vertere 

terram 
Instituit. 

Mr. B — translates it in this sense, 

, Thou, whose trident's force 
First clave the earth and rais'd the 
neighing horse. 

13. Fudit equum, tyc] This al- 
ludes to the story of Neptune's pro- 
ducing a horse at Athens. La 
Cerda offers some strong reasons 
for reading aqaam instead of equum, 
which emendation is mentioned also 
by Servius, who says the most an- 
cient manuscripts have aquam. La 
Cerda's reasons are; 1. Herodotus 
says, that in the temple of Erec- 



theus, there was an olive-tree and 
the sea, in memory of the contention 
between Neptune and Minerva. 
2. Varro, when he relates this fable, 
mentions water, not a horse, to be 
produced by Neptune. 3. In the 
best and purest manuscripts of 
Ovid, he finds fretum, where the 
common editions have^er^m: 

Stare Deum pelagi, longoque ferire tri- 

dente 
Aspera Wxa facit, medioque e vulnere 

saxi 
'E.xsiluxsse f return. 

I have adhered to the common 
reading, for the three following 
reasons: 1. Because I do not re- 
member to have seen aquam in any 
manuscript, or printed edition. 

2. Because it seems proper for Vir- 
gil to invoke Neptune, on account 
of his bestowing the horse on man- 
kind, that animal being celebrated 
in the third Georgick; whereas the 
sea has nothing to do in this poem. 

3. Because in the third Georgick, 
when he is speaking of the cha- 
racters of a fine stallion, he men- 
tions as the most excellent, that he 
should be descended from the horse 
of Neptune : 

Et patriam Epirum referat, fortesque 

Mycenas ; 
Neptunique ipsa deducat origine gentem. 

14. Cultor nemorum, 8fC.~\ He 
means Aristaeus, the son of Apollo 
and Cyrene. This Aristaeus was 
educated by the nymphs, who taught 
him the arts of curdling milk, mak- 
ing bee-hives, and cultivating olive- 
trees. He communicated these be- 
nefits to mankind, on which account 
he had the same divine honours paid 
to him as to Bacchus. 

Cea?.~\ A very fruitful island in 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



whose three hundred milk 
white steers browse on the 
fruitful bushes of Csea: and 
thou, O Tegeaean Pan, the 
protector of shtep, if thy 
own Maenalus be thv care, 
leave the groves of thy own 
country, and the forests of 
Lycasus, and come hither pro- 
pitious : and thou, O Minerva, 
who discoveredst the olive : 
and thou, O youth, who didst 
teach the use of the crooked 
plough : and thou, O Sylva- 
nus, who bearest a young 
cypress-tree, plucked up by 
the roots : 



Ter centum nivei tondent dumeta juvenci: 15 
Ipse nemus linquens patrium, saltusque Lycaei, 
Pan ovium custos, tua si tibi Maenala curae, 
Adsis 6 Tegeaee favens : oleaeque Minerva 
Inventrix : uncique puer monstrator aratri : 
Et teneram ab radice ferens, Sylvane, cupres- 
sum : 20 



the Archipelago, to which Aristaeus 
retired after the unfortunate death 
of his son Actaeon. He was there 
first worshipped as a deity. 

16. Ipse nemus linquens patrium, 
fycl Pan's country is Arcadia, in 
which were the mountains Lycaeus 
and Maenalus, and the city Tegea. 

17. Sir\ Grimoaldus interprets si 
by quanlumvis, and gives this pas- 
sage the following sense : " And 
(e thee, O Arcadian Pan, the illus- 
( ' trious feeder of sheep, I most ear- 
" nestly entreat : that though thy 
" mountain Maenalus, famous for 
" the pastoral pipe, affords thee 
" great pleasure ; yet leave thy na- 
" tive soil a httle while, and engage 
" entirely in overseeing our affairs." 
Ruaeus gives it this sense : " If thou 
<c hast any regard for Maenalus, Ly- 
" caeus, and the other mountains 
" and woods of thy own Arcadia, 
" leave now those places, and assist 
" me whilst I speak of pastoral af- 
" fairs and trees : for my discourse 
" will do honour to these places, 
" and be of use to them." I have 
followed this sense, as the most ge- 
nerally received. 

18. Tegecee.~\ Servius and Hein- 
sius read Tegcee ; one of the Arun- 
delian manuscripts has Tegeke; in 
the Cambridge, the Bodleian, and 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts it is 
Tegee ; in the King's manuscript, 
and in some of the old printed edi- 
tions, it is Tegeaz ; La Cerda and 
Ruaeus read Tegecee, which seems 
to be right, for the two first sylla- 



bles are always short; the Greek 
name of the city being Tiyiu. 

Oleceque Minerva Inventrix, .] This 
alludes to the story of the conten- 
tion between Neptune and Minerva, 
about naming Athens. Pliny says 
the olive-tree produced on that oc- 
casion by Minerva was to be seen 
in his time at Athens. 

19. Uncique puer monstrator ara- 
tri.^ Some will have this to be 
Osiris, the Egyptian deity; but 
others, with better reason, think 
that Triptolemus the son of Celeus 
is meant, who was taught the art 
of husbandry by Ceres. La Cerda 
gives the following reasons: 1. It 
is not probable that Virgil would 
invoke the gods of the Egyptians, 
which he reproaches in the eighth 
iEneid. 2. Servius observes that 
the Romans had not yet admitted 
the Egyptian worship under Au- 
gustus. 3. As he invokes Minerva 
and other Grecian gods, why not a 
Grecian inventor of the plough ? 
4. It was a generally received opi- 
nion, that the discovery of corn was 
made in Attica. 5. Pausanias says, 
that the Athenians and their neigh- 
bours relate that Triptolemus was 
the inventor of sowing. 6. As Ce- 
leus is mentioned in this very book, 
it is not probable that he would 
omit the mention of his son. 

20. Et teneram ab radice ferens, 
Sylvane, cupressum7\ Sylvanus is 
the god of the woods. Achilles 
Statius, in his commentary on Ca- 
tullus, tells us, that on ancient coins 



GEORG. LIB. I. 7 

Dique Deaeque omnes, studium quibus arva ^ ses f^ e G e t P ,o a yment°1t 

, • is to protect the fields, and ye 

tlieri) who take care of the new 

fruits, that are produced with- 
out culture, and ye who send 
down the plenteous showers 
on those which are cultivated. 
And chiefly thou, O Caesar, 
rr, • a. 1 i whose future seat amongst 

luque aaeo, quem mox quae suit habitura the gods 



Quique novas alitis non ullo semine fruges, 
Quique satis largum caelo demittitis imbrem. 



deorum 



and marbles, Sylvanus is represent- 
ed bearing a cypress-tree plucked 
up by the roots, which fully ex- 
plains this passage; Mr. B — seems 
not to have been aware of this, 
when he translated it, 

And you, Sylvanus, with your cypress 
lough. 

Sylvanus is described in a different 
manner by our Poet, in his tenth 
Eclogue : 

Venit et agresti capitis Sylvanus honore, 
Florentes ferulas et grandia lilia quas- 
sans. 

But in the Georgicks, where the 
Poet speaks of trees, and designedly 
omits flowers, it was more proper to 
distinguish Sylvanus by his cypress. 

21. Diqne Deceque omnes7\ Hav- 
ing invoked the particular Deities, 
he concludes with an invocation of 
all the rest. This is according to 
the custom of the priests, who used, 
after the particular invocation, to 
invoke all the gods in general. Ful- 
vius Ursinus says he saw a marble 
at Rome with this inscription : 

NOMIOIC 0EOIC 

IOTAIOC 

MAIOP 

ANTONINOC 

La Cerda mentions several inscrip- 
tions to all the gods and goddesses 
in general. 

22. Non ullo.~\ So I find it in the 
Cambridge, and in one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts. Heinsius, Masvicius, 



and several good editors have the 
same reading. Servius, Grimoal- 
dus, La Cerda, Ruaeus, and many 
others, read nonnullo. Servius gives 
it this sense: you who nourish the 
seeds sown by us, with your own 
seed ; that is, with rain and warmth. 
La Cerda interprets it; you who 
produce new fruits, with some 
newly discovered seed. I am loth 
to depart from that excellent ma- 
nuscript of Heinsius, without very 
good reason. And here I think non 
ullo the best reading, notwithstand- 
ing the great authorities I have 
quoted against it. To produce new 
fruit with some seed seems to be a 
very poor expression, and by no 
means worthy of Virgil. But to 
produce new fruits without any seed, 
that is, without being sown by men, 
is a very proper expression. The 
Poet, in these two lines, invokes, 
first, those deities who take care of 
spontaneous plants, and then those 
who shed their influence on those 
which are sown. Thus, at the be- 
ginning of the second Georgick, he 
tells us, that some trees come up of 
their own accord, without culture, 
and that others are sown : 

Principio arboribus varia est natura cre- 

andis : 
Namque aliae, nullis hominum cogenti- 

feus, ipsae 

Sponte sua veniunt. 

Pars autem posito surgunt de semine. 

24. Tuque adeo, 8fc.~\ After the 
invocation of these deities, he takes 
an opportunity of making his court 
to Augustus Caesar, by adding him 



8 P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

82S3fS^l : o?SS Concilia incertum est, urbesne invisere, Caesar, 

euardianship of cities, and rr i« ... 

ae care of countries, so that I eiTarumque vehs curam, et te maximus orbis 

the whole world shall ac- 

of fmKd th S "of^tS Auctoremfrugum, tempestatumque potentem 27 

tTy W moKsL^r3e P : es witl1 Accipiat, cingens materna tempora myrto : 



to the number, and giving him his 
choice, whether he will be a god of 
earth, sea, or heaven. 

Adeo.~] Some think adeo to be only 
an expletive here, others interpret 
it also. Servius, and after him 
most of the commentators, take it 
to signify chiefly. 

Mox.~] It is generally agreed that 
mox in this place signifies hereafter; 
as in Horace : 

JEtas parentum, pejor avis, tulit 

Nos nequiores, mox daturos 

Progeniem vitiosiorem. 

It is usual with the poets to pray 
that it may be long before their 
monarchs are received into heaven; 
thus Horace: 

Serus in caelum redeas, diuque 
Laetus intersis populo Quirini ; 
Neye te nostris vitiis iniquum 

Ocyor aura 
Tollat. 

25. Urbes."] Almost all the edi- 
tions have urbis ; some read urbeis. 
It is certainly the accusative case 
plural, for the construction will not 
admit of its being the genitive sin- 
gular; wherefore, to avoid confu- 
sion, I have put urbes. Dryden 
imagined urbis to be the genitive 
case singular ; and that Virgil meant 
particularly the city of Rome : 

Whether in after times to be deelar'd, 
The patron of the world, and Rome's 
peculiar guard. 

Inviserc7\ La Cerda observes that 
this word is expressive of divinity, 
and quotes several passages from 
the poets in confirmation of his opi- 
nion. 



27. Tempestatumque potentem."^ 
These words are generally under- 
stood to mean, that Augustus should 
be the ruler of the seasons. But I 
think Virgil has seldom, if ever, 
used tempestates to signify the sea- 
sons. Sure I am that many pas- 
sages may be produced where he 
has expressed storms by that word. 
I shall content myself with one in 
the first iEneid, where iEolus speaks 
in the following manner to Juno : 

Tu mihi quodcunque hoc regni, tu scep- 
tra, Jovemque 

Concilias : tu das epulis accumbere 
divinn, 

Nimborumque facis, tempestatumque po- 
tentem. 

Pliny explains tempestates, hail, 
storms, and such like : " Ante om- 
" nia autem duo genera esse cae- 
<e lestis injuria? meminisse debemus. 
" Unum quod tempestates voca- 
" mus, in quibus grandines, pro- 
" cellae, caeteraque similia intelli- 
" guntur." 

Mr. B — translates it in this sense; 

Parent of fruits, and pow'rful of the 
storm. 

The Poet means, no doubt, that 
Augustus shall govern the storms 
in such a manner, that they shall 
not injure the fruits of the earth. 

28. Cingens materna tempora myr- 
to^ The myrtle was sacred to 
Venus, as Virgil tells us himself in 
the seventh Eclogue : 

Populus Alcidae gratissima, vitis Iaccho, 
Formosa? myrtus Veneri. 

He pays a fine compliment to Au- 
gustus in this passage, making him, 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



An deus immensi venias maris, ac tua nautie 
Numina sola colant; tibi serviat ultima Thule, 
Teque sibi generum Tethys emat omnibus 
undis: 31 

Anne novum tardis sidus te mensibus addas, 
Qua locus Erigonen inter, Chelasque sequentes 



or whether thou wilt be a god 
of the vast ocean, and be the 
only oive invoked by mariners, 
the farthest parts of the earth 
shall worship thee, and Tethys 
shall give th.ee all her waters 
to be her son-in-law : or whe- 
ther thou wilt put thyself, as 
a new sign, among those that 
rise slowly, in the space be- 
tween Virgo and Scorpio j 



as he was very desirous to have it 
thought, to be descended from JE- 
neas, who was the son of Venus. 
The same expression is used with 
regard to iEneas himself, in the 
fifth iEneid : 

Sic fatus, velat materna tempora myrto. 

SO. Ultima Thule. 7 ] The King's 
manuscript, and one of Dr. Mead's 
have it Thile; in another of Dr. 
Mead's, and in the Cambridge ma- 
nuscript, it is Tyle; in the Bod- 
leian manuscript it is Thyle. Thule 
was thought by the ancients to be 
the farthest part of the earth to- 
wards the north, and inaccessible: 
thus Claudian ; 

Ratibusque impervia Thule. 

The place which the Romans meant 
by Thule seems to be Schetland ; 
for Tacitus tells us, it was in sight 
of the Roman fleet, when Agricola 
sailed round Britain, and conquered 
the Orkney islands. <c Hanc oram 
" novissimi maris tunc primum Ro- 
" mana classis circumvecta, insulam 
" esse Britanniam affirmavit, ac si- 
" mul incognitas ad id tempus in- 
".sulas, quas Orcadas vocant, inve- 
cc nit, domuitque. Dispecta est et 
" Thule, quam hactenus nix, et 
" hyems abdebat." 

31. Teque sibi generum Tethys, 
fyc.~\ One of the Arundelian manu- 
scripts, and one of Dr. Mead's, have 
Thetis, which is certainly a mistake; 



for the first syllable of Thetis is 
short : 

DilectjE Thetidi halcyones. 

Tethys is the wife of Oceanus, and 
mother of the Nymphs. 

32. Tardis mensibus.'] By the 
slow months he is generally under- 
stood to mean the summer months, 
because the days are then longest ; 
or perhaps, because the summer 
signs rise backwards, he might poe- 
tically feign them to move slower 
than the rest ; thus Manilius : 

Quod tria signa novem signis conjunct a 

repugnant, 
Et quasi seditio caelum tenet. Aspice 

Taurum 
Clunibus, et Geminos pedibus, testudine 

Cancrum, 
Surgere ; cum rectis oriantur ceetera 

membris. 
Ne mirere moras, cum Sol adversa per 

astra 
iEstivum tardis attollit mensibus anrium. 

But Dr. Halley has favoured me 
with the true meaning of these 
words, which have given so much 
trouble to the commentators. Leo, 
Virgo, Libra, and Scorpio, are 
really of much slower ascension than 
the other eight signs of the Zodiac ; 
to which Virgil no doubt alluded. 

33. Qua locus Erigonen inter, c^c] 
Erigone is Virgo. Servius tells us, 
that the Egyptians reckoned twelve 
signs of the Zodiac, and the Chal- 
deans but eleven: that the Chal- 
deans allotted twenty degrees of the 



10 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



SU^SbSk Ws'dS Panditur; ipse tibi jam brachia contrahit ardens 

to leave for thee a more than o • i« • j. i ^ i« •.,«»• 

equal share of the heavens : OCOrpiUS, et CSell JUSta piUS parte rellliqUlt. 3d 



ecliptic to some signs, and forty to 
others ; whereas the Egyptians al- 
lotted just thirty to each : and that 
the Chaldeans make the Scorpion to 
extend his claws into the place of 
Libra. Thus Ovid: 

Est locus, in geminos ubi brachia con- 

cavat arcus 
Scorpius ; et cauda flexisque utrinque 

iacertis, 
Porrigit in spatium signorum membra 

duorum. 

It is certain that Libra was not uni- 
versally received as a sign amongst 
the ancients; and that the Ckelce, 
or claws of the Scorpion, were reck- 
oned instead of it. Virgil was by 
no means ignorant of Libra, for he 
mentions it in another place: 

Libra dies somnique pares ubi fecerit 
horas. 

He takes advantage of this differ- 
ence amongst the ancient astrono- 
mers, and accommodates it poeti- 
cally, by placing Augustus, instead 
of Libra, the emblem of justice, be- 
tween Virgo and Scorpio ; and de- 
scribes the scorpion as already pull- 
ing back his claws to make room 
for him. He might also in this 
place have a view to the birth of 
Augustus, which was under Libra. 

34f. Panditur ; ipse tibi] Servius 
made the point after tibi: but I 
think it is better after Panditur. 
The sense is better if ipse be joined 
with Scorpius, than if it be made to 
agree with locus. 

Ardens Scorpius.'] This epithet 
is thought to belong to Scorpio, be- 
cause it is the house of Mars ; thus 
Manilius : 

Pugnax Mavorti Scorpiua haeret. 



Those, who are born under this sign, 
are supposed by astrologers to be of 
a fiery and turbulent disposition. 
Thus we find in Manilius : 

Scorpius armata violenta cuspide cauda. 
Qua sua cum Phcebi currum per sidera 

ducit, 
Rimatur terras, et sulcis semina miscet. 
In bellum ardentes animos, et martia 

castra 
EfScit, et multo gaudentem sanguine 

civem, 
Nee prasda quam caede magis. Cumque 

ipsa sub armis 
Pax agitur, capiunt saltus, sylvasque per- 

errant. 
Nunc hominum, nunc bella gerunt vio- 
lenta ferarum : 
Nunc caput in mortem vendunt, et fu- 

mus arense : 
Atque hostem sibi quisque parat, cum 

bella quiescunt : 
Sunt quibus et simulachra placent, et 

ludus in armis. 
Tantus amor pugnae est, discuntque per 

otia bellum, 
Et quodcunque pari studium producitur 

arte. 

Servius hints at another interpreta- 
tion ; that by ardens the Poet may 
mean that the Scorpion is ardent to 
embrace Augustus. 

35. Et coelijusta plus parte relin- 
quit.] Some manuscripts and print- 
ed editions have reliquit ; but the 
best authority seems to be for the 
present tense. One of the Arun- 
delian manuscripts has ut coelijusta 
plus parte relinquat, which is a good 
reading. But as I find only the 
authority of this single manuscript 
for it, I choose to preserve relinqvii. 

Justa plus parte may admit of 
two interpretations : either that the 
Scorpion, by drawing in his claws, 
will relinquish to Augustus the un- 
equal share of the heavens, which 
he now possesses : or that by so do- 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



11 



Quicquid eris, nam te nee sperent Tartara re- 
gem, 
Nee tibi regnandi veniat tarn dira cupido, 
Quamvis Elysios miretur Graecia campos, 
Nee repetita sequi curet Proserpina matrem, 
Da facilem cursum, atque audacious annue 
coeptis, 40 

Ignarosque viae mecum miseratus agrestes, 
Ingredere, et votis jam nunc assuesce vocari. 



whatsoever thou wilt be, for 
let not hell hope for thee to be 
her king ? nor let so dire a thirst 
of reigning enter thy breai-t, 
though Greece admires the 
Elysian fields, and Proserpine 
does not care to follow her 
mother to the upper regions, 
do thou direct my course, and 
favour my bold undertaking, 
and with me taking pity on 
the husbandmen who are ig- 
norant of the way, begin thy 
reign, and accustom thyself 
even now to be invoked. 



ing he will leave him a greater 
share than belongs to one sign. 
Dryden follows the former inter- 
pretation : 

The Scorpion ready to receive thy laws, 
Yields half his region, and contracts his 
daws. 

And Mr. B— 

For thee his arms the Scorpion now 

confines, 
And his unequal share of heaven resigns. 

Dr. Trapp understands it in the 
latter sense : 

— see the burning Scorpion now, 

Ev'n now contracts his claws, and leaves 

for thee 
A more than just proportion of the sky. 

36. Sperent.] It is spernent in 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts, 
and in an old edition printed at 
Nurenberg, in 1492 : but I look 
upon it to be an error of the tran- 
scribers. 

41. Ignarosque vice mecum misera- 
tus agrestes.'] Servius mentions two 
ways of interpreting this verse. 
One is agrestes mecum ignaros ; in 
which ^ense Dryden has translated 
it: 

Pity the poet's and the ploughman's 
cares. 

The other is rusticis ignarisjave me- 



cum ; which seems to be much the 
best sense ; for Virgil would hardly 
have declared himself ignorant of 
the subject on which he had under- 
taken to write. This interpretation 
is generally received by the com- 
mentators ; and thus Mr. B — has 
translated it : 

Pity with me th' unskilful peasant's 
cares. 

And Dr. Trapp : 

And pitying, with me, the simple swains 
Unknowing of their way. 

42. Ingredere, et votis jam nunc 
assuesce vocari.'] Ruseus interprets 
this ingredere viam, which is very 
low. Ingredior signifies to enter 
upon an office. Virgil therefore 
calls upon Augustus to begin now 
to take the divine power upon him. 
Dr. Trapp has very well translated 
this line; 

Practise the god, and learn to hear our 
pray'rs. 

The poet is justified in this compli- 
ment, by the divine honours which 
began to be paid to Augustus about 
the time that Virgil began his Geor*. 
gicks. Thus Horace: 

Praesenti tibi maturos largimur honores, 
Jurandasque tuum per nomen ponimus 

aras. 
c 2 



P. VIRGIL1I MARONIS 



I| the very beginning of the 
soring, as soon as the snow is 
molted from the hoary moun- 
tains, and the crumbling earth 
is unbound by the zephyrs ; 
then let my bullock begin to 
groan with ploughing deep, 
and ' e f the sh are be worn bright 
with the furrow. That land 
fulfils the wishes of the most 
covetous farmer, which has 
twice felt the coid, and twice 
the heat. That man's crops 
have been so large, that they 
have even burst his barns. 
But before we plough an un- 
known plain, we must care- 
fully obtain a knowledge of 
the winds, 



Vere novo, gelidus canis cum montibus humor 
Liquitur, et zephyro putris se gleba resolvit; 
Dcprcsso incipiat jam turn in ''hi taurus aratro 45 
Ingemere, et sulco attritus splendescere vomer. 
Ilia seges demum votis respondet avari 
Agricolae, bis quae solem, bis frigora sensit ; 
Illius immensse ruperunt horrea messes. 
At prius ignotum ferro quam scindimus eequor, 



43. Vere novo, $;c.~] The invo- 
cation being finished, he begins his 
work with directions about plough- 
ing, which is to be performed in the 
very beginning of the spring. 

The beginning of the spring was 
in the month of March ; but Virgil 
did not mean this by his Vere novo. 
The writers of agriculture did not 
confine themselves to the computa- 
tions of astrologers , but dated their 
spring from the ending of the frosty 
weather. Thus Columella has ex- 
plained this very passage : e ' Ne 
" discedamus ab optimo vate qui 
(C ait, ille vere novo terram proscin- 
" dere incipiat. Novi autem veris 
" principium non sic observare rus- 
" ticus debet, quemadmodum astro- 
" logus, ut expectet certum diem il- 
" lum, qui veris initium facere di- 
" citur. Sed aliquid etiam sumat 
" de parte hyemis, quoniam con- 
e< sumpta bruma, jam intepescit an- 
Ci nus, permittitque clementior dies 
" opera moliri. Possunt igitur ab 
(C idibus Januariis, ut principem 
" mensem Romani anni observet, 
" auspicari culturarum officia." 

48. Bis qnce solem, his frigora 
sensit.'] The King's, the Cambridge, 
the Bodleian, and some of the old 
printed editions, have sentit. The 
commentators have found great dif- 
ficulty in explaining this passage. 
Servius takes it to mean that land, 
which has twice felt the heat of 
the days and cold of the nights ; by 



which he supposes Virgil intends to 
express the two times of ploughing, 
in spring and autumn. Others sup- 
pose that he means the ground should 
lie fallow every other year, and 
thus explain its feeling both heat 
and cold twice : they say it is 
ploughed about the end of winter, it 
rests the next summer, is sown about 
the beginning of winter, and yields 
its crop the following summer. 
They support their interpretation 
by several quotations: but these 
prove only that it was a common 
practice amongst the ancients, to 
cultivate their fields after this man- 
ner. The poet is here advising the 
farmer to be very diligent in plough- 
ing, not to spare the labour of his 
oxen, and to polish his share with 
frequent use; and to encourage 
him, he adds, that if he would ex- 
ceed the common rule, by letting his 
land he fallow two years, and con- 
sequently ploughing it four times, 
his crop would be so large, that his 
barns would scarce contain it. We 
have Pliny's authority, that this is 
thought to be the sense of Virgil : 
" quarto seri sulco Virgilius existi- 
" matur voluisse, cum dixit opti- 
" mam esse segetem, qua? bis solem, 
"•' bis frigora sensisset." Dryden 
erroneously translates ilia seges, that 
crop : it is plain that seges can mean 
nothing but the land in this passage. 
50. At prius tyc] In these lines 
the poet advises us to consider we:l 



GEORG. LIB. I, 



13 



Ventos, et varium caeli praedisceVe morem 
Cura sit, ac patrios cultusque habitusque lo- 

corum, 
Et quid qureque ferat regio, et quid quaeque 

recuset. 
Hie segetes, illic veniunt felicius uvae: 
Arborei foetus alibi, atque injussa virescunt 55 
Gramina. Nonne vides croceos ut Tmolus 

odores, 



the various dispositions of the 
weather, the peculiar culture 
and nature of the place, and 
what each country will pro- 
duce, and what not. In one 
place corn succeeds, in another 
vines : another abounds with 
fruit-trees, and spontaneous 
herbs. Do you not see that 
Tmolus yields the odorous 
saffron, 



the nature of the place, before we 
begin to plough. 

At.]' The King's, the Cambridge, 
the Bodleian, and both Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts, have ac : it is the same 
also in Servius, Paul Stephens, La 
Cerda, and some other printed edi- 
tions. The two Arundelian manu- 
scripts, Heinsius, Ruaeus, Masvi- 
cius, and most of the editors, read 
at. 

51. Cceli morem.'] I take ccelum 
in this place to signify the weather, 
or temperature of the air. Thus 
Servius interprets it; cceli, id est 
a'eris; and strengthens his opinion 
with these words of Lucretius : 

In hoc ccelo qui dicitur air. 

La Cerda quotes the authority of 
Pliny for rendering ccelum the con- 
stellations ; but he is mistaken. 
Pliny's words are, " Et confitendum 
<e est, caelo maxime constare ea: 
" quippe Virgilio jubente praedisci 
" ventos ante omnia, ac siderum 
xc mores, neque aliter quam navigan- 
" tibus servari.' ' In these last words 
it is plain that Pliny alludes to an- 
other passage in this Georgick ; 

Praeterea tam sunt Arcturi sidera nobis 
Hoedorumque dies servandi, et lueidus 

anguis ; 
Quam quibus in patriam ventosa per 

zequora vectis 
Pontus et ostriferi fauces tentantur 

Abydi. 



53. Et quid quaeque feral regio, et 
quid qu&que recuset.] Pliny alludes 
to this line, when he says, lib. xviii. 
cap. 18. " In omni quidem parte 
" culturse, sed in hac quidem max- 
" ime valet oraculum illud, Quid 
" quaeque regio patiatur." Colu- 
mella also seems, in his preface, to 
have had it in his view : " Nam 
" qui se in hac scientia perfectum 
" volet profiteri, sit oportet rerum 
" naturae sagacissimus, declinatio- 
" num mundi non ignarus, ut explo- 
<e ratum habeat, quid cuique plages 
ec conveniat, quid repugnat/' In lib. v. 
cap. 5. he quotes the very words of 
our poet : " Notandum itaque et di- 
" ligenter explorandum esse, et quid 
" quceque ferat regio, et quid ferre 
u recuset." 

56. Croceos ut Tmolus odores.'] 
One of the Arundelian manuscripts 
has croceos Timolus odores. The 
name of this mountain is sometimes 
indeed spelt Timolus or Tymolus ; 
but then the first syllable is short, 
as in the sixth book of Ovid's Me- 
tamorphosis. 

Deseruere sui nymphae vineta Timoli. 

One of Dr. Mead's manuscripts has 
croceos ut Timolus, which cannot be 
right: the other has ut Molus. Tmo- 
lus is a mountain of Lydia famous 
for the best saffron. Some of the 
commentators would fain understand 



H 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



^ktaS^/S^ffi; I ndia mittit eb ^ molles sua thura Sabsei ? 
fuic'aSS?,' ° ntus r " At Chalybes nudi ferrum, virosaque Pontus 



the poet to allude to the odorous 
wines which are made in that coun- 
try; but the other interpretation 
seems to be the best, as well as the 
most obvious. 

" 57. India mittit ebur.~\ All authors 
agree in preferring the elephants of 
India to those of all other countries. 
Ivory is the tusk of that animal, 
not the tooth, as is commonly ima- 
gined. 

Molles sua thura Sabcei.] The 
Sabeans are a people of Arabia 
Felix, in whose country only the 
frankincense-tree is said to grow : 
thus we find in the second Geor- 
gick; 

— Solis est thurea virga Sabaeis. 

Theophrastus also and Pliny both 
affirm that it is found only in Ara- 
bia. Dioscorides mentions an In- 
dian as well as an Arabian frankin- 
cense. Garcias affirms that it does 
not grow in any part of India, and 
that the Indians have all their frank- 
incense from Arabia. Bodaeus a 
Stapel, in his notes on Theophrastus, 
observes that the Greek writers 
called that sort of frankincense In- 
dian, which grew in the islands 
near Arabia, because those islands 
were formerly under the govern- 
ment of the Indians. Virgil gives 
them the epithet of molles because 
of their effeminacy : thus Manilius ; 

Nee procul in molles Arabes, terramque 

ferentem 
Delicias. 

And again, 

Et molles Arabes, sylvarum ditia regna. 

58. Chalybes nudi ferrum.} There 
is some doubt who these Chalybes 
are. Strabo says the Chaldeans were 
anciently so called, and that their 



chief support is from iron and other 
metals : T?$ Vi T ' gxTiZfivvlos V7rigxuv\u,t, 
xeti Tyig <$oc£votKcoi$ } TiZx^voi re xeti XecX- 

douoi. Oi £e vvv XctX$x7oi, XoLhv&ts 

to srotXctiov wopufyvio, xxff ov$ ftdXtrcc *i 
Q>xgvccxtx tcigvTxt, xocru, S-dXo&rlxy pth 
i%ovroc ivtyvtocv tw ix t»k TxriKxp.v&Ltt.s, 
-sr^aTiece, ya.^ otXia-xirxi ivrxvSx to o^ev 
tovto ix oi ?%$ yr^ rx fcirxXXx, vv» ftM 
(rt0 K y>(>ou 3 -zs-goTZ^ov Oi xxi x^yv^ov. "OAajj 

Oi XXTX T6V$ T07T0V$ TCVTOV$ » WXgxXtX 
Tivi) TiXiOJg iftV V7Ti(>XUrXl yX(> «t$t>S TftJ 

og« ptrxXXuv -srXvievi xx) dgvpiw, yiugyu 
di ov -zroXXcc. Xtlwtrxi £sj roiq ftlv farxX- 
Xivrxts tx rav pirxXXw fiiog. He 
thinks also that they are the Hali- 
jzones of Homer ; and that Alyba 
in that poet is the same with Cha- 
lyba : 

Avrug 'AXi^a/vm x 0^7es xa,) 'ETt^ooipos «££«» 
TnkoB-iv \\ 'AXuSns, I'S-tv u^yv^ou Is - ) yzv- 

Justin makes them a people of 
Spain, and says they take their name 
from the river Chalybs, near which 
they dwell. Both Dryden and Mr. 
B — have followed Justin, translat- 
ing Chalybes Spaniards. They are 
called naked, because the excessive 
heat of their forges made them 
work naked. Thus we find one of 
the Cyclops described, when at 
work : 

Ferrum exercebant vasto Cyclopes in 

antro, 
Brontesque Steropesque et nudus membra 

Pyracmon. 

Virosaque Pontus Casiorea.] Pon- 
tus is a part of Asia Minor, famous 
for drugs of extraordinary efficacy, 
and such as were said to be used in 
enchantments. Virgil mentions 
them in his eighth Eclogue : 

Has herbas, atque haec Ponto mihi lecta 
venena 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



Castorea, Eliadum palmas Epiros equarum ? 



15 



and Epirus the best of mares, 
which win the prize in the 
Olympic games? 



Ipse dedit Moeris : nascuntur plurirna 

Ponto. 
His ego saepe lupum fieri et se condere 

sylvis 
Moerin, saepe animas imis excire sepul- 

chris, 
Atque satas alio vidi traducere messes. 

Castor is an animal substance taken 
from a quadruped, which in Latin 
is called Castor and Fiber, in Eng- 
lish the Beaver. It has been ge- 
nerally imagined, that this drug is 
the testicle of that animal, and that, 
when it is close pursued, it bites off 
its testicles, leaves them for the 
hunters, and so escapes. To this 
story we find frequent allusions 
amongst the ancients: thus Juvenal; 

Imitatus castora, qui se 

Eunuchum ipse facit, cupiens evadere 

damno 
Testiculorum. 

Pliny takes the castor to be the tes- 
ticles of the animal ; but quotes the 
authority of Sextius, against the 
story of its biting them off. e ' Spec- 
f< tabilis naturae potentia in his 
" quoque, quibus et in terris et in 
" aqua victus est, sicut et fibris quos 
" castores vocant, et castorea testes 
" eorum. Amputari hos ab ipsis 
ff cum capiantur negat Sextius di- 
* ligentissimus medicinse. Quinimo 
u parvos esse substrictosque, et ad- 
" haerentes spinas, nee adimi sine 
" vita animalis posse." Modern 
authors have discovered that the 
bags which contain the castor are 
not the testicles of the beaver, and 
that they have no communication 
with the penis, and are found in 
both sexes. They are odoriferous 
glands placed in the groin of the 
beaver, as we find in some other 
quadrupeds. The best castor is 
now brought to us from Russia. 
Virosa does not mean in this place 
poisonous, but efficacious or powerful. 



Virus, from which it seems to be 
derived, is sometimes used in a good 
sense, as we find it in Statius : 

— Jungam ipse manus, atque omne 

benigne 
Virus, odoriferis Arabum quod doctus 

in arvis, 
Aut Amphrysiaco pastor de gramme 

carpsi. 

In the passage just now quoted from 
the eighth Eclogue we find the ve- 
nena of Pontus not to signify any 
thing destructive to life; but drugs 
of such extraordinary power, that 
by their means Mceris could turn 
himself into a wolf, raise spirits, 
and remove a crop of corn from one 
field to another. 

Dryden has followed the ancient 
tradition of the testicles : 

Thus Pontus sends her beaver stones 
from far. 

Mr. B — translates virosa-, heady. 
Dr. Trapp observes that virus and 
venerium sometimes carry the sense 
of QoLqmumv, and so translates it, 

Pontus, its castor's drug, 

which is very low. 

59. Eliadum palmas Epiros equa-* 
rum.'] Elis is a country of Pelopon- 
nesus, in which was the city of 
Olympia, famous for the temple of 
Jupiter Olympius, and the Olympic 
games. Epirus was formerly a 
kingdom of Greece, famous for 
horses. In the third Georgick we 
find Epirus recommended as breed- 
ing good horses : 

Et patriam Epirum referat. 

The Phoenicians are thought to have 
given this country its name, from 
TDK abir, which signifies strong; 
whence bulls and horses are called 
O s TDK abirim, being the strongest 
of beasts. Thus Epirus will signify 



16 



P. VIRG1LII MARONIS 



These laws and eternal cove- 
nants were laid by nature on 
certain places, ever since the 
time that Deucalion threw 
the stones into the uninha- 
bited world : whence a labo- 
rious race of men were pro- 
duced. Come on then, im- 
mediately from the very first 
months of the year, 



Continuo has leges, seternaque foedera certis 60 
Imposuit natura locis, quo tempore primum 
Deucalion vacuum lapides jactavit in orbem : 
Unde homines nati durum genus. Ergo age, 

terrae 
Pingue solum primis extemplo a mensibus anni 



the country of bulls and horses. It 
was certainly famous for both these 
animals. 

60. Continuo has leges, c^-c] Af- 
ter having observed that nature has 
subjected the world to these laws, 
that different places should produce 
different things, ever since the time 
of Deucalion, he resumes his sub- 
ject, and gives directions when a 
rich soil should be ploughed, and 
when a poor one. 

62. Deucalion vacuum lapides, c^c] 
The story of Deucalion is in the 
first book of Ovid's Metamorphosis. 
We are there told that, when the 
world was destroyed by a deluge, 
Deucalion only, with his wife 
Pyrrha, survived. They consulted 
the oracle of Themis, in what man- 
ner mankind was to be restored. 
The oracle commanded them to 
throw the bones of their great mo- 
ther behind their backs. By their 
great mother they understood the 
earth to be meant, and her bones 
they apprehended to mean the 
stones. They obeyed this command, 
and the stones which Deucalion 
threw became men., and those which 
Pyrrha threw became women. O vid 
concludes the fable with a remark, 
almost in Virgil's words ; . 

Inde genus durum sumus, experiensque 

laborum, 
Et documenta darnus, qua simus origine 

nati. 

64. Primis a mensibus anni.] The 
preposition a is wanting in the Cam- 
bridge manuscript. By these words 



he means the same that he did by 
vere novo in the forty-third verse in 
this Georgick. He there mentions 
the beginning of the spring, as the 
season to begin ploughing Here he 
is more particular, and informs us, 
that a rich soil only is to be ploughed 
so early, and gives his reason for it. 
Pliny has quoted this passage of our 
poet, in lib. xviii. c. 26. He is there 
speaking of what work the hus- 
bandman is to do when Favonius- 
begins to blow, which he makes to 
be about the eighth of February, 
sooner or later. " Interim," says he, 
" ab eo die, quisquis ille fuerit, quo 
u flare coeperit, non utique vi. Idus 
" Febr. sed sive ante, quando prae- 
" vernat, sive post, quando hyemat: 
" post earn diem, inquam, innu- 
" mera rusticos cura distringat, et 
Cl prima quaeque peragantur qua? 
(( differri nequeunt. — Terra in futu- 
" rum proscinditur, Virgilio maxi- 
" me autore, ut glebas sol coquat. 
" Utilior sententia, quae non nisi 
ct temperatum solum in medio vere 
" arari jubet : quoniam in pingui 
" statim sulcos occupant herbae, 
" gracili insecuti aestus exiccant : 
" turn nam que succum Venturis se- 
*' minibus auferunt. Talia autumno 
" melius arari certum est." Colu- 
mella tells us, that a fat soil should 
be ploughed in February, if the wea- 
ther be warm enough to admit of 
it. " Colles pinguis soli, peracta 
u satione trimestri, mense Martio, si 
" vero tepor ca?li, siccitasque regio- 
" nis suadebit, Februario statim 
" proscindendi sunt." 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



17 



Fortes invertant tauri, glebasque jacentes 65 
Pulverulenta coquat maturis solibus sestas. 
At si non fuerit tellus foecunda, sub ipsum 
Arcturum tenui sat erit suspendere sulco : 
Illic, officiant laetis ne frugibus herbae, 
Hie, sterilem exiguus ne deserat humor arenam. 
Alternis idem tonsas cessare novales, 71 



let the strong bullocks turn up 
the rich soil, and let the clods 
lie to be baked by the dusty 
summer with the hot beams 
of the sun. But if the soil be 
poor, it will be sufficient to 
turn it up lightly with a small 
furrow, about the rising of 
Arcturus : the design of the 
first of these precepts is to 
hinder the weeds from hurt- 
ing the joyful corn ; that of 
the second is to prevent the 
small quantity of moisture 
from forsaking the barren 
sand. Suffer also your arable 
land to lie fallow every other 
year, 



65. Fortes invariant tauri] This 
agrees with what he said before, 

Depresso incipiat jam turn mihi taurus 

aratro 
Ingemere. 

He advises the husbandman to make 
deep furrows in the rich ground, 
which he expresses poetically by re- 
quiring the bullocks to be strong. 

66. Maturis solibus.] Pierius tells 
us that in the Roman manuscript it 
is maturis frugibus. 

6? '• Sub ipsum Arcturum.] Arctu- 
rus rises, according to Columella, 
on the fifth of September : ' ' Nonis 
K i Septembris Arcturus exoritur." 
According to Pliny, it rises eleven 
days before the autumnal equinox, 
that is, a week later than Colu- 
mella's account : " Post eos, rursus 
" Austri frequentes, usque ad sidus 
" Arcturi, quod exoritur undecim 
" diebus ante aequinoctium autum- 
" ni." In another place he tells 
us, that, according to the Athenians, 
Arcturus rises on the fifth of Sep- 
tember, but, according to Caesar, 
on the twelfth : ' ' Vindemiator JE- 
" gypto nonis exoritur. Atticae 
" Arcturus matutino, et sagitta oc- 
" cidit mane. Quinto Idus Septem- 
" bris Caesari capella oritur vesperi. 
" Arcturus vero medius pridie Idus, 
" vehementissimo significatu terra 
{l marique per dies quinque." Co- 
lumella no doubt followed the Greek 
calculation. This author gives the 
same advice about ploughing a poor 



soil ; and for the same reason : 
" Graciles clivi non sunt aestate 
" arandi, sed circa Septembres ca- 
" lendas ; quoniam si ante hoc tem- 
" pus proscinditur, effceta et sine 
" succo humus aestivo sole peruri- 
' c tur, nullasque virium reliquias ha- 
" bet. Itaque optime inter Calen- 
" das, et Idus Septembris aratur, 
" ac subinde iteratur, ut primis plu- 
" viis aequinoctialibus conseri pos- 
" sit : neque in lira, sed sub sulco 
" talis ager seminandus est." 

" Arcturus, in the time of Colu- 
<c mella and" Pliny, rose with the 
" sun at Athens, when the sun was 
i( in 12^ of Virgo; but at Rome 
fC three days sooner, the sun being 
"in 9 J of Virgo : the autumnal 
" equinox then falling on the 24th 
" or 25th of September." Dr. 
Halleij. 

71. Alternis idem, c^c] In this 
passage the poet advises us to let the 
ground lie fallow every other year, 
or else to change the grain. 

Tonsas novales.'] Novalis signi- 
fies, according to Pliny, a ground 
that is sown every other year: 
" Novale est, quod alternis annis 
u seritur." Varro says, it is one 
that has been sown before it is re- 
newed by a second ploughing : " Se- 
11 ges dicitur quod aratum satum 
iC est; arvum quod aratum nee dum 
" satum est : novalis ubi satum fuit 
" ante, quam secunda aratione re- 
" novetur." It is sometimes also 
used to express a land that is new 

n 



18 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



a^th h i^gstm d or^ Et segnem patiere situ durescere campum 

chaneine the season, sow the . . ., . n . t r> 



changing tt 
golden corn, 



Aut ibi flava seres mutato sidere farra, 



broken up. The epithet tonsas be- 
ing added to novates, seems to bring 
it to Varro's sense ; if we must un- 
derstand it to mean the same with 
demsssas, as it is generally inter- 
preted. But perhaps the poet may 
mean by tonsas novates, new broken 
up fields that had lately been grazed 
by cattle. Our author uses londeo 
in this sense, at the beginning of 
this Georgick: 

Tondent dumeta juvenci. 
And in the third ^Eneid : 

Equos in gramine vidi 

Tondentes campum late. 

73. Mutato sidere.] Pierius says 
it is mutato semine in the Roman 
manuscript, which seems a plainer 
and more intelligible reading than 
mutato sidere : but as we have only 
the authority of a single manuscript 
for it, I have preserved the common 
reading. By mutato sidere, the poet 
must mean that pulse are sown in 
one season, and corn in another. 

Farra7\ Far seems to be put here 
for corn in general. It may not 
however be improper to say some- 
thing in this place concerning that 
grain; which was so famous amongst 
the ancient Romans. It seems to 
me pretty plain, that it is the £«/* 
or £e* of the Greeks, and what we 
call in English spelt. It is a sort of 
corn, very like wheat ; but the chaff 
adheres so strongly to the grain, 
that it requires a mill to separate 
them, like barley. Dionysius of 
Halicarnassus says expressly, that 
the Greeks call that £«*, which the 
Romans call far. The principal 
objection to this seems to be, that 
Pliny treats of zea and far, as two 
different sorts of grain. But this is 



of no weight with me, for it is plain 
that Pliny borrows what he says of 
zea from the Greek writers. In 
lib. xviii. cap. 8. he says it is peculiar 
to Egypt, Syria, Cilicia, Asia, and 
Greece: " Frumenti genera non 
" eadem ubique : neque ubi eadem 
" sunt, iisdem nominibus. Vulga- 
(i tissima far, quod adoreum veteres 
" appellavere, siligo, triticum. Haec 
" plurimis terris communia. Arinca 
et Galliarum propria, copiosa et Ita- 
" liee est. iEgypto autem ac Syriae, 
cc Ciliciaeque et Asiae, ac Graeciae 
e< peculiares zea, olyra, tiphe." In 
cap. 10, he says, " Apud Graecos 
(C est zea.'' Thus we may reason- 
ably suppose that what Pliny says 
of zea is taken from the Greek au- 
thors ; and that they are the same 
grain, notwithstanding his having 
distinguished them. Besides it may 
not be amiss to observe, that our 
poet has given, in the 219th verse 
of this Georgick, the epithet robusta 
to farra ; which is the very same 
that Theophrastus has given to zea : 

fyiec?, TiQn?, oXvffois, fi^copov, uiyiXaxog, 
iGr%v£OTt(>cv ko.1 poiXis-ot, KCC^TTl^OfiitCt, »j 

£g/<*. I shall add only one obser- 
vation more ; that far was the corn 
of the ancient Italians, and was fre- 
quently used in their sacrifices and 
ceremonies, whence it is no wonder 
that this word was often used for 
corn in general. Thus in several 
counties of England, we find the 
several sorts of grain called by their 
proper names, and that which is 
the chief produce of the country 
dignified with the name of corn. 
That far was the food of the ancient 
Italians, we have Pliny's authority : 
" Primus antiquis Latio cibus." 
That it was used in sacrifices, I shall 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



19 



Unde prius laetum siliqna quassante legumen, 



where you have just taken off 
the joyful pulse with shatter- 
ed pods j 



quote only the authority of Virgil 
himself, in the fifth iEneid : 

Haec memorans cinerem et sopitos sus- 
citat ignes : 

Pergameumque Larem, et canae pene- 
tralia Vestae 

Farre pio et plena supplex veneratur 
acerra. 

74. Lcetam siliqua quassante legu- 
men.^ Pierius seems to approve of 
ledum instead of labium ; as it is in 
the Roman manuscript : but I take 
Iwtum to be the true reading. By 
lazlum legumen Virgil intends to ex- 
press beans ; which were esteemed 
as the principal sort of pulse. Thus 
Pliny ; " Sequitur natura legumi- 
" num, inter quae maximus honos 
" fabis." The same author, quot- 
ing this passage of Virgil, substi- 
tutes Jaba for legumen : " Virgilius 
" alternis cessare arva suadet, et 
" hoc, si patiantur ruris spatia, uti- 
" hssimum procul dubio est. Quod 
" si neget conditio, far serendum 
" unde lupinum, aut vicia, autfaba 
" sublata sint, et quae terram faciant 
" laetiorem." He mentions beans 
also in another place, as fattening 
the soil, instead of dung : ff Solum 
" in quo sata est laetificat stercoris 
" vice." Cato also, where he is 
speaking of what enrich the earth, 
begins with lupinum, faba, vicia. 
Legumen is derived a legendo, be- 
cause pulse are gathered by hand, 
and not reaped according to Varro : 
" Alii legumina, alii, ut Gallicani 
" quidam, legaria appellant, utraque 
" dicta a legendo, quod ea non se- 
" cantur, sed vellendo leguntur." 
Pliny has almost the same words, 
speaking of the legumina : " Quae 
" velluntur e terra, non subsecan- 
" tur : unde et legumina appellata, 
" quia ita leguntur." The epithet 
quassante seems not to have been 



well understood by the commen- 
tators. They generally indeed agree 
with Servius, in telling us that quas- 
sante is used for quassaia; but 
then they proceed no farther than 
to tells us, that they suppose the 
poet alludes to the shaking of the 
pods with the wind. I have never 
observed any remarkable shaking in 
bean pods, nor does their firm ad- 
herence to the stalk seem to admit 
of it. I rather believe the poet al- 
ludes to the method used by the 
Romans, of shaking the beans out 
of the pods. Pliny just mentions it 
in his eighteenth book, where he 
says Jaba metitur, deinde concutitur. 
Columella has given us a particular 
account of it. He says they untie 
a few bundles at a time, at the far- 
ther end of the floor, and then three 
or four men kick them forward, 
and strike them with sticks or pitch- 
forks, and when they are come the 
whole length of the floor, they ga- 
ther the stalks into a heap, and so 
the beans are shaken out. " Max- 
' ime ex leguminibus ea, et sine ju- 
e mentis teri, et sine vento purgari 
' expeditissime sic poterit. Modi- 
' cus fasciculorum numerus reso- 
c lutus in extrema parte areae col- 
c locetur, quern per longissimum 
' ejus, mediumque spatium tres vel 
c quatuor homines promoveant pe- 
e dibus, et baculis furcillisve con- 
f tundant : deinde cum ad alteram 
( partem areae pervenerint, in acer- 
c vum culmos regerant. Nam se- 
( mina excussa in area jacebunt, su- 
c perque ea piulatim eodem modo 
' reliqui fasciculi excutientur. Ac 
' durissimae quidem acus resectae, 
' separataeque erunt a cudentibus : 
' minutae vero, quae de siliquis cum 
' faba resederunt, aliter secernen- 
' tur. Nam cum acervus paleis, 
d2 



20 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



SfeE**^S^ Aut tenues foetus viciae > tristisque lupini 75 

tlinpr haum of the bitter hi- n ,-■•/* *i i i 

pine. For a crop of flax, or (Sustuleris tragiles calamos, syivamque sonantem. 



oats, or drowsy poppies 
the land. 



burns 



Urit enim lini campum seges, urit avenge, 
Urunt lethaeo perfusa papavera somno. 



" granisque mistus in unum fuerit 
cc conjectus, paulatim ex eo ventila- 
" bris per longius spatium jactetur, 
" quo facto, palea, quae levior est, 
tc citra decidet : faba, quae longius 
" emittetur, pura eo perveniet, quo 
f< ventilator earn jaculabitur." I 
have rendered quassante, shattered, 
which I take to be the true mean- 
ing of the word : for it appears by 
Columella's account, that the pods 
are broken and shattered to let the 
beans come out. Quasso is fre- 
quently used in this sense ; and our 
English word to quash is derived 
from it. 

75. Tenues foetus vicias.~] The 
seeds of vetches, or tares, are very 
small in proportion to beans and lu- 
pines; and therefore the poet has 
distinguished them by the epithet 
of tenues. They are also reckoned 
to fertilize the fields : Et vicia pin- 
guescunt arva, says Pliny. 

Tristis lupini.] This epithet is 
well chosen, for lupinus is derived 
from Avthj, tristitia. The ancient 
writers of agriculture agree that lu- 
pines being sown in a field are as 
good as dung to it. Columella says 
they will make the husbandman 
amends, if he has no other dung : 
" Jam vero ut ego reor, si deficia- 
" tur omnibus rebus agricola, lupini 
" certe expeditissimum presidium 
" non deesse, quod cum exili loco 
*? circa Idus Septembris sparserit, et 
" inaraverit, idque tempestive vo- 
" mere vel ligone succiderit, vim 
" optimae stercorationis exhibebit." 
Pliny also mentions lupine as an ex- 
cellent manure : " Inter omnes au- 
" tern constat nihil esse utilius lupini 



" segete, priusquam siliquetur, ara- 
" tro vel bidentibus versa, mani- 
" pulisve desectae circa radices ar- 
" borum ac vitium obrutis. * * * Se- 
" getem stercorant fruges, lupinum, 
" faba, vicia." And in the eigh- 
teenth book, speaking of lupine, he 
says; " Pinguescere hoc satu arva 
" vineasque diximus. Itaque adeo 
" non egit fimo, ut optimi vicem re- 
" praesentet." 

77. Urit enim lini campum seges.\ 
Most authors agree with Virgil, that 
flax burns or impoverishes the soil. 
Columella says it is so exceedingly 
noxious, that it is not safe to sow it, 
unless you have a prospect of great 
advantage from it. " Lini semen, 
" nisi magnus est ejus in ea regione 
" quam colis proventus, et pretium 
cc proritat, serendum non est ; agris 
" enim praecipue noxium est." Pal- 
ladius observes also that it exhausts 
the ground : " Hoc mense lini se- 
<c men seremus, si placet, quod pro 
" malitia sui serendum non est, 
" nam teiTas uber exhaurit." Pliny 
quotes Virgil, for this observation : 
< c Virgilius et lino segetem exuri, 
" et avena, et papavere arbitratur." 

78. Urunt lethceo perfusa papave- 
ra somno.'] Poppies were commonly 
sown by the ancients : not that with 
the scarlet flowers, which is com- 
mon in our corn fields, but those 
sorts which we cultivate in our gar- 
dens. That they were cultivated by 
the ancient Romans, is plain from 
the directions, which all their writers 
give about sowing them. That it 
was not our corn poppy, but that of 
the gardens, appears from the figure 
of its head in the hand of many 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



21 



Sed tamen alternis facilis labor : arida lantum 
Ne saturare fimo pingui pudeat sola ; neve 80 
Effoetos cinerem immundum jactare per agros. 
Sic quoque mutatis requiescunt fcetibus arva: 



But to sow every other year 
is an easv labour. Only be not 
ashamed to enrich the dry 
soil with fat dung ; nor to 
spread unclean ashes over the 
exhausted fields. Thus also 
the fields rest with changing 
the grain ; 



statues of Ceres. The head of the 
garden poppy is round, but that of 
the red poppy is long and slender, 
as Pliny has justly observed, lib. xx. 
cap. 18. "Sativum omne magis ro- 
" tundat capita; at sylvestri longum 
" ac pusillum." This author there- 
fore seems to contradict himself, 
when he reckons this red sort, lib. 
xix. cap. 9- amongst the cultivated 
poppies. He there mentions three 
sorts ; the white one, of which the 
ancients used to eat the seeds : the 
black one, from which opium is ob- 
tained: and the rhceas, or erraticum, 
which frequently grows amongst 
barley, resembling rocket, a cubit 
in height, with a red flower which 
soon falls off, whence it is called in 
Greek rhoeas. This is a plain de- 
scription of our red poppy or corn- 
rose. I shall set down the author's 
own words : " Papaveris sativi tria 
" genera : candidum, cujus semen 
u tostum in secunda mensa, cum 
" melle apud antiquos dabatur. Hoc 
" et panis rustici crustae inspergitur 
" affuso ovo inhaerens, ubi inferio- 
" rem crustam apium githque cere- 
ee ali sapore condiunt. Alterum ge- 
" nus est papaveris nigrum, cujus 
" scapo inciso lacteus succus exci- 
u pitur. Tertium genus rhceam vo- 
" cant Greed, id nostri erraticum. 
u Sponte quidem, sed in arvis, cum 
" hordeo maxime nascitur, erucae 
" simile, cubitali altitudine, flore 
" ruffo et protinus deciduo, unde et 
" nomen a Graecis accepit." The 
white poppy is cultivated in our 
physic gardens; the heads being 
much in use : for of them is made 
the syrup, which is generally known 
by the name of Diacodium. The 



black poppy is not only sown in 
our gardens, but grows wild also in 
several places. I have found it in 
great plenty on banks, between 
Cambridge and Ely. The seeds of 
it are sold for birds, under the name 
of maw seed. The beautiful double 
poppies, so frequent in gardens, are 
the same species, the fulness of the 
flowers being only an accidental va- 
riety. That poppies, especially the 
juice flowing from their wounded 
heads, which is well known under 
the name of opium, procure sleep, 
hardly requires to be mentioned. 
On this account Virgil says they 
are lethceo perfusa somno: and in the 
fourth Georgick he calls them lethcea 
papavera : and in the fourth iEneid 
he has soporiferum papaver. Lethe 
is the name of a river in the infernal 
regions, which causes those who 
drink of it entirely to forget every 
thing: whence our poet gives the 
epithet lethean to sleep. 

79- Sed tamen alternis facilis labor, .] 
He returns to his first precept, about 
ploughing every other year, and ob- 
serves that this makes the labour 
easy; and adds that dunging must 
not be omitted, if the soil be poor or 
worn out. This is the generally re- 
ceived interpretation : but Grimo- 
aldus gives another sense to this 
passage. He takes it to mean that, 
though you should sow flax, oats, or 
poppies, which greatly exhaust the 
ground ; yet you may easily remedy 
this inconvenience, by letting the 
ground lie fallow one year, if you do 
but take care to dung it diligently. 

82. Mutatis requiescunt fcetibus 
arva.] The sense of this passage is, 
that the change of grain is of service 



22 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



S; a ^SSS , fa i ln a S B . Nee nulla interea est inaratae gratia terra. 

ploughed field. It is often <>, , . • 1 • i r • . 

also beneficial to set fire to baepe etiam stenles lncendere protuit agros, 

the barren fields, r r ° 



to the ground, and in some measure 
answers the same end as letting it 
lie fallow. 

83. Nee nulla interea est inaratae 
gratia terrce.] By inaratce is meant 
uncultivated. He here again encou- 
rages the husbandman to let his 
ground lie fallow a year or two, if 
he can afford to wait so long : and 
assures him that his forbearance will 
be well rewarded. Thus at the be- 
ginning of this Georgick, he tells 
us, that a husbandman, who lets his 
ground lie fallow two years, will 
reap such an abundant crop, that 
his barns will scarce contain it : 

Illius immensae ruperunt horrea messes. 

84. Scepe etiam, tyc.~] In this pa- 
ragraph he relates the method of 
burning a barren soil; and assigns 
four reasons, why it may be of ser- 
vice. 

Grimoaldus does not understand 
this passage as it is commonly un- 
derstood ; that the poet proposes so 
many different, and even contrary 
conjectures, concerning the benefit 
accruing from burning a barren 
field. He rather thinks that Virgil 
intends to describe these four cures 
for so many causes of barrenness. 
If the soil be poor, burning will 
make it fat and full of juice : if it 
be watery, the heat will make the 
superfluous moisture transpire : if 
it be a stiff clay, the warmth will 
open the pores, and relax the stiff- 
ness : if it be a spongy and thirsty 
soil, the fire will bind and condense 
it. La Cerda quotes Bersmanus for 
the same interpretation : and ap- 
proves of it. 

Virgil is generally thought not to 
have intended to speak of burning 
the ground itself, but only of burning 



the stubble. Pliny seems to under- 
stand him in this sense : " Sunt qui 
" accendunt in arvo et stipulas, 
" magno Virgilii praeconio." Ser- 
vius in his comment, on these words, 
incendere profuit agros, says, ec Non 
" agros, sed eaquae in agris sunt, id 
" est stipulas vel quisquilias : hoc 
" est purgamenta terrarum, et aha 
" inutilia concremare." Grimoaldus 
also interprets this passage ; " Sse- 
" penumero etiam herbas, frutices, 
" et stipulam igne absumpsisse, ad 
" reparandam sterilium agrorum 
" foecunditatem nonnihil confert." 
Dryden also translates it in this 
sense : 

Long practice has a sure improvement 

found, 
With kindled fires to burn the barren 

ground ; 
When the light stubble to the flames 

resign'd 
Is driv'n along, and crackles in the wind. 

And Dr. Trapp : 

Oft too it has been gainful found to burn 
The barren fields with stubble's crackling 
flame. 

He says, " agros atque stipulam 
' ' flammis : i. e. agros flammis stipu- 
" la?" Mr. B — differs from them 
all, and says, " Virgil speaks of two 
" different things, of burning the 
" soil itself before the ground is 
" ploughed, and of burning the 
" stubble after the corn is taken off 
" from arable land." This seems 
to be the most natural interpreta- 
tion. 

Scepe.'] Servius tells us that some 
join scepe to incendere. If this in- 
terpretation be admitted, we must 
render this passage, sc It is bene- 
" ficial also to set fire often to the 
" barren fields." 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



23 



Atque levem stipulam crepitantibus urere flam- 
mis : 85 
Sive inde occultas vires, et pabula terrge 
Pinguia concipiunt: sive illis omne per ignem 
Excoquitur vitium, atque exudat inutilis humor: 
Seu plures calor ille vias, et caeca relaxat 
Spiramenta, novas veniat qua succus in herbasr 
Seu durat magis, et venas adstringit hiantes ; 91 
Ne tenues pluviae, rapidive potentia solis 
Acrior, aut Boreae penetrabile frigus ad u rat. 



and to burn the light stubble 
with crackling flames : whe- 
ther by this means the lands 
receive some hidden powers, 
and rich nourishment : or whe- 
ther every vicious disposition 
is removed by the heat, and 
the superfluous moi stu re made 
to transpire : or whether the 
warmth opens more passages, 
and relaxes the hidden pores, 
through which the juice is de- 
rived to the new herbs : or 
whether it hardens and con- 
tracts the gaping veins, and 
so hinders the small showers, 
or parching heac of the sun, 
or the piercing cold of Boreas 
from scorching it. 



85. Atque levem stipulam crepitan- 
tibus urere fiammis7\ It is scarce 
possible to avoid observing how 
beautifully the rapidity of this verse, 
consisting entirely of Dactyls, ex- 
presses the swiftness of the flame 
spreading over a stubble field. Vida 
quotes this passage, amongst the 
many beautiful examples of making 
the sound an echo to the sense : 

Hinc etiam solers mirabere saepe legendo 
Sicubi Vulcanus sylvis incendia misit, 
Aut agro stipulas flamma crepitante cre- 
mari. 

86. Pabula.] The commentators 
generally suppose, that when the 
poet speaks of this nourishment to 
be derived from the fire, he alludes 
to the philosophy of Heraclitus ; 
that all things are created out of 
fire. La Cerda, with better rea- 
son, thinks, that he means the 
nourishment proceeding from the 
ashes. 

92. Ne tenues pluvioe, rapidive po- 
tentia solis acrior.] This passage 
has very much perplexed some of 
the commentators. They think it 
strange that rain should be said to 
scorch the ground. La Cerda in- 
terprets it "ne pluviae, quae tenuitate 
" sua penetrant, herbas perdanV 
Dry den translates it, 

Lest soaking show'rs should pierce her 
secret seat. 



And Dr. Trapp, 

— Lest drisling show'rs 

Should soak too deep. — = — 

This seems to be taking too great a 
liberty with Virgil ; to suppose an 
ellipsis, and then to fill it up with 
what we please. I would rather 
suppose that by tenues, he does not 
mean quae tenuitate sua penetrant; 
but, as Servius tells us, some inter- 
pret it, inutiles, jejunae, macrae, in 
opposition to pingues, as tenuis ubi 
argilla. If we understand it in this 
sense, why might not the poet say 
that the fire, by contracting the 
gaping veins of the earth, hinders 
the small showers from scorching 
the earth : that is, hinders the earth 
from being scorched or dried, by 
the smallness of the showers, which 
are not sufficient to moisten it, but 
soak through its gaping chinks. This 
interpretation will be still clearer if 
with Schrevelius we read rapidique, 
instead of rapidive: for then the 
sense will be that the small showers 
joined with a very parching heat 
will dry up the spongy, thirsty soil. 
They may poetically be said to parch 
the earth, because they are not suf- 
ficient to hinder it from being 
parched. 

93. Penetrabile frigus.] Thus Lu- 
cretius : 

Permanat calor argentum, penetraleque 
frigus. 



24 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



5h?SeffiSe^S2* fi dSi Multum adeo, rastris glebas qui frangit inertes, 

with harrows, and draws the TT . . , . . .,, 

osier lmrdies: nor does yellow Vimineasquetrahit crates, juvatarva : nequeillum 

Ceres look down upon him in 

Jnd 1 he°too, h who u&the Flava Ceres alto nequicquam spectat Olympo : 
Et qui, proscisso qua? suscitat aequore terga, 97 



Adurat.~] Burning applied to cold 
is not merely a poetical expression ; 
but we find it made use of also by 
the philosophers. Aristotle says that 
cold is accidentally an active body, 
and is sometimes said to burn and 
warm, not in the same manner as 
heat, but because it condenses or 
constrains the heat by surrounding 

it. IIotVlTlXOV ($1 Ti-^/V^POV, a$ (pSxpriKOV, 

V) aq y.acroc, <rvp*ivYi)cov } xabxireg ilprcrxi 
■zrgOTtgov' Ivi'oTl yseg xxt Kxtuy Xiynxi kxi 
Sh<>pxmi)> to ^X^} *X> ®$ T0 S^pov, 
x>Xx to cvvxyiiv, it xvTtTlpiifoivxi to 

Seg/tto'v. Pliny also applies aduror to 
cold : te Aduri quoque fervore, aut 
" jlatu frigidiore:" and again; 
11 Olei libra, vinique sextario illini- 
f tur cum oleo coctis foliis partibus 
" quas frigus adusserit :" and in 
another place ; " Leonis adipes cum 
i( rosaceo cut em in facie custodiunt 
" a vitiis, candoremque servant, et 
" sanant adusta nivibus :" and in 
another place he says, " Si vero 
" adusti frigore." 

94. Multum adeo, $c] In this 
passage he recommends the break- 
ing of the clods small, which the 
writers of agriculture call occatio. 
" Occare, id est comminuere, ne sit 
ff gleba," says Varro. " Pulvera- 
11 tionem faciunt, quam vocant rus- 
" tici occationem, cum omnis gleba 
" in vineis refringitur, et resolvitur 
" in pulverem," says Columella. 

95. Vimineas crates.'] Dr. Trapp 
translates rastris rakes, and crates 
harrows : 

Much too he helps his tilth, who with 

the rake 
Breaks the hard lumpish clods, and o'er 

them draws 
The osier harrow. 



Rostrum. I think, always signifies a 
harrow, in Virgil ; who describes it 
as something very heavy, which by 
no means agrees with a rake* In 
this very Georgick we find iniquo 
pondere rastri, and gravibus rastris. 
Crates cannot be harrows, which 
are too solid to be made of osiers or 
twigs of trees, as the hurdles are. 
Thus we have arbutece crates, in this 
Georgick; and crates salign/is, in 
the seventh iEneid; and in the 
eleventh, 



Crates et molle feretrum 



Arbuteis texunt virgis, et vimine querno. 

The word is used for any kind of 
basket work ; whence Virgil, in the 
fourth Georgick, applies it to the 
structure of a honey-comb; crates 
solvere favor urn ; and the crates sa- 
lience, just quoted, are the basket 
work of a shield ; whence the poet 
figuratively uses it to express the 
bones of the breast : 



crudum 



Transadigit costas et crates pectoris 
ensem. 

96. Flava Ceres.] Ceres is called 
yellow, from the colour of ripe 
corn : thus we have in Homer %x&* 

97. Et qui, $c] " Ruaeus," says 
Mr. B — , ' ' and after him Mr. Dry- 
cC den, apply this passage to what 
"goes before; but Virgil means it 
cc only of what follows, namely, 
( ' a°oss ploughing. What the poet 
" speaks of here retains the Roman 
" name to this day in many parts 
<c of England, and is called sowing 
iC upon the back, that is, sowing stiff 
" ground after once ploughing. 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



25 



Rursus in obliquum verso perrumpit aratro, ^Wi^KEG^SE 

,-, P ,, ,-, , edup,andfrecmentlyexerches 

Lxercetque trequens tellurem, atque imperat the earth, and commands tiie 



arvis. 



9.9 



Humida solstitia, atque hyemes orate serenas, 



fields. Pray, ye farmers, for 
moist summer's and fair win- 
ters; 



" Now, says Virgil, he that draws 
" a harrow, or a hurdle, over his 
<c ground, before he sows it, multum 
"juvat arva; for this fills up the 
" chinks, which otherwise would 
" bury all the corn: but then, says 
" he, Ceres always looks kindly upon 
(e him who ploughs his ground cross 
" again, and then exercises it fre- 
" quently ; that is, often repeats the 
•' labour of ploughing. What made 
" Ruseus and others mistake this 
" place is, that they did not observe 
t( that Et qui, proscisso, Sfc. must 
<c be construed qui et perrumpit, et 
<( exercet, et imperat." This obser- 
vation is very ingenious; but I am 
afraid we shall find it difficult to 
produce an authority for making et 
qui to be the same with qui et. Gri- 
moaldus interprets this passage thus: 
" Neque vero illi minus propitia 
." futura ilia est, qui, &c." In this 
sense Dry den translates it : 



Nor Ceres from on high 



Regards his labours with a grudging 

eye ; 
Nor his, who ploughs across the furrow'd 

grounds, 
And on the back of earth inflicts new 

wounds. 

This way too there seems to be a 
•difficulty in the grammatical con- 
traction; for we must place the 
^vords thus: "Neque flava Ceres 
I spectat ilium ; et ilium qui, &c/' 
jua Cerda's interpretation seems to 
»e most natural: he couples qui 
/ith the other qui in ver. 94. Thus 
he sense will be : " Ille juvat arva, 
7 qui frangit glebas, et ille juvat 
'• arva, qui perrumpit, &c." Ru- 
seus follows La Cerda ; for he in- 
terprets et qui thus : F Valde eihm 



" prodest ille, qui." Dr. Trapp in- 
terprets it to the same purpose: 
" Et ille etiam juvat arva, qui." 
Neque ilium fiava Ceres alto nequic- 
quam spectat Olympo must there- 
fore be understood to be in a paren- 
thesis. 

Proscisso.'] Beroaldus, in his notes 
upon Columella, tells us that pro- 
scindere means the first ploughing of 
the land : et Quod vere semel ara- 
" turn est, a temporis argumento 
" vervactum vocatur, dicitur et pro- 
" scissum, et proscindere appellant, 
" cum primum arant terram." Ser- 
vius gives us the same interpreta- 
tion : " Propria voce usus est, cum 
" enim primo agri arantur, quando 
" duri sunt, proscindi dicuntur ; 
ie cum iterantur, obfringi ; cum ter- 
" tiantur, litari." 

98. Perrumpit.'] The King's, one 
of the Arundelian, both Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts, Servius, La Cerda, 
and several of the old printed copies 
have prorumpit. Pierius owns that 
many of the ancient manuscripts 
have perrumpit; but admits pro- 
rumpit, on the authority of the Me- 
dicean manuscript, in which pro- 
rumpit is altered to perrumpit with 
a different ink. The Cambridge ma- 
nuscript has perrumpat ; and in the 
Bodleian manuscript it is perrupit. 

99' Exercet tellurem.] Thus Ho- 
race ; " Paterna rura bobus exercet 
" suis:" and Pliny; " alii tellurem 
" exercent:" and Columella ; " fre- 
" quenter solum exercendum est." 

Arvis.] The Bodleian manuscript 
has armis, which no doubt is an 
error of the transcriber. 

100. Humida solstitia, fyc] Hav- 
ing spoken sufficiently of preparing 

E 



?6 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



S r S2 h 2S!! , S5SS t SSS Agricolae; hybernoliEtissimapulverefarra, 

the field so fruitful, 



the ground, he now begins to speak 
of sowing it; and advises the 
farmers, in the first place, to pray 
for moist summers and fair winters. 
La Cerda has proved by a great 
number of instances, that the purest 
Latin writers meant only the sum- 
mer solstice by solstilium, and that 
they called the winter solstice bruma. 
Columella indeed calls the winter 
solstice brumale solstitium : but solsti- 
tium alone, I believe, was never used, 
but to express the summer solstice. 
We have the word solstitium no 
where else in Virgil, except in the 
seventh Eclogue : 

Muscosi fontes, et somno mollior herba, 
Et quae vos rara viridis tegit arbutus 

umbra ; 
Solstitium pecori defendite : jam venit 



Torrida : jam laeto turgent in palmite 
gemmae. 

This is apparently meant of the 
summer solstice. It will not perhaps 
be displeasing to the learned reader, 
if I quote some passage of Pliny, 
which confirm La Cerda's observa- 
tion. In lib. ii. cap. 19- he says ; 
" Sol autem ipse quatuor differen- 
ec tias habet, bis aequata nocte diei, 
" vere et autumno, et in centrum 
" incidens terra? octavis in partibus 
ee arietis ac libra : bis permutatis 
" spatiis, in auctum diei, bruma oc- 
" tava in parte capricorni : noctis 
" vero, solstitio totidem in partibus 
" cancri." In lib. xviii. cap. 25. he 
says; " Cardo temporum quadri- 
tc partita anni distinctione constat, 
<e per increments, lucis. Augetur 
" haec a bruma, et aequatur noctibus 
* verno aequinoctio diebus xc. horis 
" tribus. Deinde superat noctes ad 
u solstitium diebus xcm. horis xn. 
" usque ad aequinoctium autumni. 
" Et turn aequata die procedit ex eo 



" ad brumam diebus lxxxix. horis 
u in. Horae nunc in omni accessione 
" aequinoctiales, -non cujuscunque 
" diei significantur : omnesque eae 
u differentiae fiunt in octavis parti- 
<c bus signorum. Bruma capricorni, 
" ab vni. calend. Januarii fere: ae- 
" qiiinoctium vernum, arietis : sol- 
" siitium, cancri : alterumque aequi- 
" noctium, librae, qui et ipsi dies 
"■ raro non aliquos tempestatmn sig- 
u nificatus habent. Rursus hi car- 
" dines singulis etiamnum articulis 
" temporum dividuntur, per media 
t( omnes dierum spatia. Quoniam 
<e inter solstitium et aequinoctium 
" autumni fidiculae occasus autum- 
" num inchoat die xlv. At ab ae- 
" quinoctio eo ad brumam, vergili- 
" arum matutinus occasus hyemem 
" die xliii. Inter brumam et aequi- 
" noctium die xlv. flatus favonii 
" vernum tempus." In cap. 28. of 
the same book he says ; " Solstitium 
" peragi in vni. parte cancri, et 
<e vni. calendas Julii diximus. Mag- 
" nus hie anni cardo, magna res 
" mundi. In hoc usque a bruma 
" dies creverunt sex mensibus." 
Servius therefore must be mistaken, 
who takes humida solstitia to mean 
the winter solstice, and imagines 
that the epithet humida is added as 
a distinction from the summer sol- 
stice, and therefore interprets this 
passage thus: " Solstitia ilia quae 
<c humida sunt naturaliter, id est hy- 
" berna, O Agricolae, et hyemes se- 
" renas orate." 

Pliny accuses our poet of a mii ■ 
take in this advice, and says it wa. 
only a luxuriance of his wit : " Qui 
" dixit hyemes serenas optandas, 
" non pro arboribus vota fecit. 
" Nee per solstitia imbres vitibus 
" conducunt. Hyberno quidem 
" pulvere laetiores fieri messes, lux- 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



27 



Laetus ager : rmllo tantum se Mysia cultu &if 7^Iti&\Z 

•r . , . . • g~* beneficial, and in such seasons 

Jactat, et ipsa suas mirantur Uargara messes. even Gargarus admires its own 

harvests. Why should I speak 

Quid dicam, iacto qui semine cominus arva . of him who, as soon as he has 
v* « , j ^ j SQwn the seed ^ imrne d lat ely 

Insequitur, cumulosque ruit male pinguis arenas ? Se'rKof^l'&im iSS " 



" uriantis ingenii fertilitate dictum 
tC est." But Virgil is sufficiently 
justified by its being an universally 
received opinion amongst the an- 
cient Roman husbandmen. We are 
told by Macrobius, that in a very 
old book of verses, which is said to 
be the most ancient of all the Latin 
books, the following words are to 
be met with: " Hyberno pulvere, 
" verno luto, grandia farra Camille 
" metes." From this old saying 
Virgil no doubt derived his advice 
to the farmers, to pray for moist 
summers and fair winters. 

Orate.~\ It is opiate in one of the 
Arundelian manuscripts, and in La 
Cerda. Pliny seems also to have 
read optate ; for in the passage, 
which I just now quoted, he says, 
" Qui dixit hyemes serenas optan- 
" das." 

102. Nullo tantum se Mysia, 8fc.~\ 
It is Mcesia in the Bodleian manu- 
script, in Servius, and in several 
old editions; some of the old edi- 
tions have Mesia. The Cambridge 
manuscript has Messia. Fulvius 
Ursinus tells us that the old Colo- 
i manuscript has Mysia, which 
v iding is admitted also by Macro- 
is. Pierius says it is Mysia in 
1 e Roman manuscript, and in an- 
;her very ancient one. Heinsiusand 
veral of the best editors have My- 
~. According to Pliny, Mcesia is 
he name of a province joining to 
Pannonia, and running down with 
the Danube to the Euxine sea. But 
Mysia is a part of Asia minor join- 
ing to the Hellespont. In this pro- 
vince were both a mountain and a 
town called Gargarus, famous for 



great plenty of corn. * Thus we find 
in Ovid : 

Gargara quot segetes, quot habet Me- 

thymna racemos : 
jEquora quot pisces, fronde teguntur 

aves ; 
Quot caelum Stellas, tot habet tua Roma 

puellas. 

104. Quid dicam, Sj-c.'] In this 
beautiful passage, the poet advises 
to break the barren clods immedi- 
ately after the seed is sown; and 
then to overflow the ground. He 
recommends also the feeding down 
of the young corn, to prevent its 
too great luxuriance : and men- 
tions the draining of a marshy 
soil. 

105. Male pinguis arence.] Ruaeus 
says, that male pinguis is not put 
for sterilis in this place, but that it 
signifies male, intempestive, et frus~ 
tra compacta et conglobata. He ob- 
serves that arena is often put for 
any sort of earth, as in the fourth 
Georgick it is used for the mud of 
the Nile, which is fat : 

Et viridem iEgyptum nigra fcecundat 
arena. 

But however it is certain that male 
joined with an adjective has the 
same signification with non. Thus 
in the second iEneid, statio male 
Jida carinis is the same as non fida; 
and in the fourth iEneid, alloquitur 
male sana sororem is the same as in- 
sana or non sana: therefore male 
pinguis in this passage may well be 
interpreted non pinguis, notwith- 
standing what Ruaeus has said to 
the contrary. 
E 2 



28 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and then brings down rills of 
water over it ? And when the 
parched field lies gasping with 
dying herbs, behold he draws 
down the water from the brow 
of a lull by descending clian- 
nels : the water, as it falls, 
makes a hoarse murmur along 
the smooth scones, and re- 
freshes the thirsty fields with 
its bubbling streams. Why 
should I speak of him, who, 
lest the heavy ears should 
weigh down the stem, feeds 
down the luxuriant corn in 
the tender blade, as soon as it 
is even with the furrow l or of 
him who drains the collected 
moisture of the marsh from 
the soaking sand? especially 
in doubtful months, when the 
river has overflowed its banks, 
and covered all the country 
round with mud, 



Deinde satis fluvium inducit, rivosque sequen- 
tes? 106 

Et cum exustus ager morientibus festuat herbis, 
Ecce supercilio clivosi tramitis undam 
Elicit : ilia cadens raucum per laevia murmur 
Saxa ciet, scatebrisque arentia temperat arva. 
Quid, qui, ne gravidis procumbat culmus aristis, 
Luxuriem segetum tenera depascit in herba ; 
Cum primum sulcos gequant sata? quique paludis 
Collectum humorem bibula deducit arena? 114? 
Praesertim incertis si mensibus amnis abundans 
Exit, et obducto late tenet omnia limo, 



106. Deinde satis fluvium, fyc] 
Virgil is thought in these lines to 
have imitated the following passage 
of Homer, in the 21st Iliad : 

'Slg S' or u,vv)(> o^iT'/iyog utto x^mug /KsXa- 

'AftQuru xix.) xTi-ras tfietros poov hytpovtvu, 
Xtgffi paxtWav £^&)v, ccfuzgn; §' Ig s%ft,arcc 

T» ftiv re z?£ooiovro$, v*o ■fyytf^is a.xa<rut 
'0%XiuvTui, ro ¥$ r UKO, xctraSof&svov xi- 

Xugu ivi zrgoctki?, ipSdvii ¥t rs xa,\ rov 
osyovra. 

So when a peasant to his garden brings 
Soft rills of water from the bubbling 

springs, 
And calls the floods from high, to bless 

his bow'rs, 
And feed with pregnant streams the 

plants and flow'rs ; 
Soon as he clears whate'er their passage 

stay'd, 
And marks their future current with his 

spade, 
Swift o'er the rolling pebbles, down the 

hills 
Louder and louder purl the falling rills, 
Before him scatt'ring, they prevent his 

pains, 
And shine in mazy wand'rings o'er the 

plains. 

Mr. Pope. 

Rivosque sequentes7\ It is rivosque 



fluentes in the Roman manuscript, 
according to Pierius. 

109- Elicit.] Pierius says it is di- 
git in the Roman manuscript. 

112. Luxuriem segetum tenera de- 
pascit in kerba.] The former pre- 
cept, of breaking the clods, and wa- 
tering them, related to a barren soil. 
Here he speaks of an inconvenience 
attending a rich soil, the too great 
luxuriance of the corn ; and advises 
to feed it down, while it is young. 
He seems to have taken this from 
Theophrastus, who says, that in a 
rich soil the husbandmen both mow 
the young corn, and feed it down, 
to keep it from running too much 

to leaf. 'E» $i Tci7? uyxSxlg %P%*tq 
7?£o<; to pk QvXXfiftccvuy, i7rivif*iio-i xxi 
Z7rix.u'(>iicri rh <nrov. Pliny says th 
same thing : " Luxuria segetiu* 
" castigatur dente pecoris in herba 
" duntaxat." 

113. Quique paludis, fyc] He 
now speaks of draining a marshy 
land. 

115. Si] In the King's manu- 
script it is cum. 

Incertis mensibus.] Months where- 
in the weather is uncertain ; as in 
spring and autumn. 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



29 



Unde cavae tepido sudant humore lacunae. 
Nee tamen, haec cum sint homin unique boumque 

labores 
Versando terram experti, nihil improbus anser, 
Strymoniaeque grues, et amaris intuba fibris 120 
Officiunt, aut umbra nocet. Pater ipse colendi 



whence the hollow ditchet 
sweat with warm moisture. 
Though all these constant la- 
bours of men and oxen attend 
the culture of the earth, yet 
these are not all, for the 
wicked goose, and Strymonian 
cranes, and succory with bit- 
ter roots, are injurious, and 
shade is hurtful to the corn. 
Jupiter himself 



118. Nec tamen, fyc] Having 
spoken of these labours which at- 
tend the culture of the earth, the 
poet adds that these are not all; 
for birds that infest the corn are to 
be scared away, weeds are to be 
rooted up, and trees to be lopped, 
that overshade the field. Hence he 
takes occasion to make a beautiful 
digression concerning the golden 
and silver ages. 

Bourn.'] One of Dr. Mead's ma- 
nuscripts has bovum throughout the 
book. 

119. Anser.] The goose is inju- 
rious wheresoever it comes by pluck- 
ing every thing up by the roots. 
Columella quotes the following 
words to this purpose from Celsus : 
cc Anser neque sine aqua, nec sine 
" multa herba facile sustinetur, 
" neque utilis est locis consitis, quia 
" quicquid tenerum contingere pot- 
' est carpit." Palladius has al- 

lost the same words, and adds that 
le dung of geese is hurtful : " An- 
ser sane nec sine herba, nec sine 
aqua facile sustinetur : locis con- 
I sitis inimicus est, quia sata et 
morsu laedit et stercore." This 
btion, of the dung of geese burning 
p the grass where they feed, still 
•evails amongst our country people, 
ut I have observed that grass will 
% *ow as well under their dung, as 
ider that of other animals. The 
many bare places, which are found 
where geese frequent, are occasioned 
by their drawing up the grass by 
the roots. 



120. Strymonice grues.] The cranes 
are said to come from Strymon, a 
river of Macedon, on the borders of 
Thrace. 

Amaris intuba Jibris.] Iniybum, 
or Intybus, is commonly translated 
Endive: but the plant which Virgil 
means is Succory. Columella, when 
he recommends intubum to be sown 
for geese, tells us, it must be that 
sort which the Greeks call <n^<;: 
" Sed praecipue genus intubi, quod 
C( c-i^tv Graeci appellant." Diosco- 
rides tells us there are two sorts of 
<r'i£i$, one wild, and the other culti- 
vated : the wild sort is called -srix^ 
and succory : 2^/$ ay^ux, xect qf&if>o$' 
u>v « f*iv uygicc -ztikqis, *i xcci xi%&)piov 

xuXaySvvi. It is called srU^ no doubt 
from its bitterness: whence Virgil 
describes it to be amaris Jibris. It 
is a very common weed about the 
borders of our corn fields ; and may 
be two ways injurious. The spread- 
ing tof its roots may destroy the 
corn ; and, as it is a proper food for 
geese, it may invite those destruc- 
tive animals into the fields where it 
grows. La Cerda, in his note on 
this passage, takes occasion to cor- 
rect an error which has crept into 
the editions of Pliny. In lib. viii. 
cap. 27. he says, <f Fastidium pur- 

" gant anates, anseres, csete- 

" rseque aquaticae herba siderite." 
That judicious commentator ob- 
serves that we ought to read scride 
instead of siderite. 

121. Umbra ?wcet.] That trees 
overshading the corn are injurious 



30 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



would have the method of 
tillage not to be easy, and 
first of all commanded the 
fields to be cultivated with 
art, to whet the minds of mor- 
tals with care: and would not 
suffer his reign to rust in sloth. 
Before the reign of Jupiter, 
no husbandmen subdued the 
fields: nor was it lawful to 
mark out lands, or distinguish 
them with bounds : all things 
were in common : and the 
earth of her own accord pro- 
duced every thingmore freely, 
without compulsion. He gave 
a noxious power to horrid 
serpents, 



Haud facilem esse viam voluit, primusque per 

artem 
Movit agros, curis acuens mortalia corda : 
Nee torpere gravi passus sua regna veterno. 
Ante Jovem nulli subigebant arva coloni : 125 
Nee signare quidem, aut partiri limite caropum 
Fas erat. In medium quaerebant : ipsaque tellus 
Omnia liberius nullo poscente ferebat. 
Ille malum virus serpentibus addidit atris, 



to it, is known to every body. The 
poet has said the same thing in his 
tenth Eclogue : 

Nocent et frugibus umbrae. 

Pater ipse colendi haudfacilem esse 
viam voluit.'] That the husbandman 
may not repine at so many obsta- 
cles thrown in his way, after all his 
labour, the poet in a beautiful man- 
ner informs him, that Jupiter him- 
self, when he took the government 
of the world upon him, was pleased 
to ordain, that men should meet 
with many difficulties, to excite 
their industry, and prevent their 
minds from rusting with indolence 
and sloth. 

122. Primus per artem movit 
agros.] Mr. B — has justly ob- 
served, that this does not mean that 
Jupiter invented tillage, but that 
" he made it necessary to stir the 
" ground, because he filled it with 
" weeds, and obliged men to find 
<c out ways to destroy them/' Ser- 
vius seems to think that movit may 
be interpreted jussit coli. The poet 
tells us presently afterwards, that 
Ceres was the inventor of husbandry. 
Dryden was not aware of this when 
he wrote, 

Himself invented first the shining share, 
And whetted human industry by care : 
Himself did handicrafts and arts or- 
dain. 



Ovid also ascribes the invention of 
agriculture to Ceres, in the fifth 
book of his Metamorphosis : 

Prima Ceres unco glebam dimovit aratro : 
Prima dedit fruges, alimentaque mitia 

terris : 
Prima dedit leges : Cereris sumus omnia 

munus. 

125. Ante Jovem nulli subigebant 
arva coloni.] Thus Ovid : 

Ipsa quoque immunis rastroque intacta, 

nee ullis 
Saucia vomeribus, per se dabat omnia 

tellus. 

126. Nee] It is ne in the Roman 
manuscript, according to Pierius, 
which is no unelegant reading. 

127. In medium qucerebant] In 
medium signifies in common. Thus 
Seneca, speaking of the golden age, 
says, " Cum in medio jacerent be- 
" neficia naturse promiscue utenda:" 
and after having quoted this pas- 
sage from Virgil, he adds : ' ' Quid 
" hominum illo genere felicius ? In 
" commune rerum natura frueban- 
' ' tur : sufficiebat ilia, ut parens, in 
" tutelam omnium." 

Ipsaque tellus omnia liberius nullo 
poscente ferebat.] Thus Hesiod : 

Avrepscrn, zzoWov ri x.cti ciipS-ovov. 

120. Malum virus.] Malum is not 
a superfluous epithet; for virtu is 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



SI 



Praedarique luposjussit,pontumque moveri: 130 
Mellaque decussit foliis, ignemque removit, 
Et passim rivis currentia vina repressit : 
Ut varias usus meditando extunderet artes 
Paulatim, et sulcis fruraenti quaereret herbam: 
Ut silicis venis abstrusum excuderet ignem. ] 35 
Tunc alnos primum fluvii sensere cavatas: 
Navita turn stellis numeros et nomina fecit, 
Pleiadas, Hyadas, claramque Lycaonis Arcton. 



and commanded the wolves 
to prowl, and the sea to swell : 
and shook the honey from the 
leaves of trees, and concealed 
the fire, and withheld the 
wine, which ran commonly 
before in rivulets : that expe- 
rience might gradually strike 
out various arts by frequent 
thinking, and seek the blades 
of corn in furrows : that it 
might strike the hidden fire 
out of the veins of flints. 
Then did the rivers first feel 
the hollowed alders : then did 
the sailor first give numbers 
and names to the stars, the 
Pleiades, the Hyades, and the 
bright bear of Lycaon. 



used in a good as well as a bad 
sense. The Greeks used (pugpxKov in 
the same manner : thus we find in 
Homer. 

<&dojU.KXK, zfoXXa pi* IffS-Xci fAtju.iy^iva, 
zfoXXoc, oi Xuy^oi. 

See the note on virosa Castorea, 
ver. 58. 

131. Mellaque decussit foliis.'] The 
poets feign, that, in the golden age, 
the honey dropped from leaves of 
trees. Thus Ovid : 

Flavaque de viridi stillabant ilice mella. 

Our poet, speaking, in the fifth 
Eclogue, of the restoration of the 
golden age, says that the oaks shall 
sweat honey : 

Et durae quercus sudabunt roscida mella. 

It is no uncommon thing to find 
a sweet, glutinous liquor on oak 
leaves, which might give the poets 
room to imagine, that, in the golden 
age, the leaves abounded with honey. 

Ignemque removit.'] He did not 
totally take the fire away, but only 
concealed it in the veins of flints. 
Thus Hesiod : Kgv^/e dl srvg. 

132. Et passim rivis currentia 
vina repressit] It is feigned that 
there were rivers of milk and wine 
in the golden age. Thus Ovid : 

Fluminajam lactisjam flumina nectaris 
ibant. 



133. Ut.] It is et in the Bod- 
leian, and in one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts. Ut is certainly 
right. 

Extunderet.] Pierius says it is ex- 
cuderet in several ancient manu- 
scripts : but in the Roman, the Me- 
dicean, and other good copies, it is 
extunderet. The King's, one of the 
Arundelian, and one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts have excuderet : in the 
Bodleian it is exfoderet. Extun- 
deret is admitted by most of the 
editors. 

135. Ut.] So I find it in the Cam- 
bridge, and one of Dr. Mead's ma- 
nuscripts. Pierius says it is ut in 
all the ancient copies he had seen. 
Servius, Heinsius, some of the old 
printed editions, and Masvicius read 
ut. In most of the modern editions 
it is et. 

136. Alnos.] The alder-tree de- 
lights in moist places, and on the 
banks of rivers. One of these trees 
that was grown hollow with age, 
falling into a river, may be imagined 
to have given the first hint towards 
navigation. 

137- Turn.] In the old Nurenberg 
edition it is dum. 

138. Pleiadas, Hyadas, claramque 
Lycaonis Arcton.] This line seems 
to be an imitation of Hesiod : 



32 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



SE ta^SS&SLSJ! Turn laqueis captare feras, et fallere visco 

ing with bird-lime, and the 
encompassing of great forests 
with dogs discovered. And 
now one seeking the deep 
places lashes the" broad river 
with a casting net, and another 
drags his wet lines in the sea. 



Inventum, et magnos canibus circumdare sal- 
tus. 140 

Atque alius latum funda jam verberat amnem, 
Alta petens ; pelagoque alius trahit humida lina. 



Or of Homer, 

ITAx/aSaf B-% 'Tabat n, to, ts trS-ivos 

' Clgiuvos. 
"Agxrov 3-', h kcci ot/u,a%av Wixkwtv *«- 

htouiriv. 

The Pleiades are seven stars in the 
neck of the bull, not in the tail, as 
we find in Pliny, lib. ii. cap. 41. 
(< In cauda tauri septem, quas ap- 
"■ pellavere vergilias." They are fa- 
bled to have been the seven daugh- 
ters of Atlas, king of Mauritania, 
whence they are called also by Vir- 
gil Atlantides. The Latin writers 
generally call them Vergiliae, from 
their rising about the vernal equinox. 
Pleiades is generally thought to be 
derived from -zsrxia, to sail, because 
their rising pointed out the time in 
those days proper to adventure to 
sea. Others derive this name from 
-zrXiiow;, many, because they appear 
in a cluster ; thus we find Manilius 
call them sidus glomerabile. The 
Hyades are seven stars in the head 
of the bull. This name is derived 
from vu, to rain, because they are 
thought to bring rain at their rising 
and setting. The old Romans, 
thinking hyades to be derived from 
vq, a sow, called these stars suculoe ; 
as we are informed by Cicero: 
" Ejus (Tauri) caput stellis consper- 
" sum est frequentibus : 

" Haec Grseci Stellas : H) r adas vocitare 
suerunt : 

« f A pluendo : vav enim est pluere. 
u Nostri imperite suculas ; quasi a 
" suibus essent, non ab imbribus no- 
" minatae." Pliny makes the same 
observation : " Quod nostri a simili- 



" tudine cognominis Graeci propter 
" sues impositum arbitrantes, impe- 
" ritia appellavere suculas." Servius 
mentions another etymology, that 
these stars represent the form of the 
Greek letter Y, and are therefore 
called 'Xdh",. It is certain that the 
five principal stand in the shape of 
that letter. Callisto, the daughter 
of Lycaon, was violated by Jupiter, 
and turned into a bear by Juno. 
Jupiter afterwards translated her 
into the constellation called by the 
Greeks "A^re?, by the Romans Ursa 
major, and by us the Great Bear. 
See the whole fable in the second 
book of Ovid's Metamorphosis. 

1 39- Laqueis.] It is laqueo in one 
of Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 

140. Inventum, et magnos.'] In one 
of the Arundelian manuscripts it is 
inventum : magnos. In one of Dr. 
Mead's it is inventum est : magnos. 

Canibus circumdare saltus.] Thus 
we have in the tenth Eclogue : 

Non me ulla vetabunt 

Frigora Parthenios canibus circumdare 
saltus. 

141. Verberat amnem.] This lash- 
ing the river is a beautiful descrip- 
tion of the manner of throwing the 
casting net. 

142. Alta petens.] Servius tells us 
that some make the point after am- 
nem ; and make alia petens to belong 
to the sea- fishing. But in this case, 
I believe Virgil would hardly have 
put the que after pelago : I believe 
the line would rather have run 
thus : 

Alta petens alius pelago trahit humida line. 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



Turn ferri rigor, atque argutae lamina serrae; 
Nam primi cuneis scindebant fissile lignum. 
Turn variae venere artes : labor omnia vicit 145 
Improbus, et duris urgens in rebus egestas. 
Prima Ceres f'erro mortales vertere terram 
Instituit: cum jam glandes atque arbuta sacrae 



Then the tempering of steel 
was invented, and the blade of 
the grating saw; for in the 
first age they clave the split- 
ting wood with wedges. Then 
Various arts were discovered. 
Incessant labour and necessity 
pressing in difficult affairs 
overcame all things. Ceres 
first taught mankind to plough 
i he ground, when mast and 
arbutes began to fail in the sa- 
cred wood, 



Humida Una.] La Cerda observes 
that linum is often used for a net. 
Mr. B — says, " The sea-fishing is 
l< finely painted ; for in this business 
" the lines are so long, by reason 
" of the depth of the water, that the 
" fisherman's employment seems to 
" be nothing else but irahit humida 
" Una." Whether Virgil intends, 
by these words, to express the drag- 
net, or fishing with the hook, I shall 
not venture to determine. 

144. Primi.] The King's, the 
Cambridge, and one of the Arun- 
delian manuscripts, have primum: 
but primi seems more poetical. Thus, 

— — — Tuque O cui prima frementem 
Fudit equum tellus. 

And, 



Prima Ceres 

terram 
Instituit. 



ferro mortales vertere 



Scindebant.] It isjindebant in the 
Cambridge manuscript: but this 
must be a mistake; for Jindebant 
Jissile lignum is by no means worthy 
of Virgil. 

145. Vicit.] In most of the manu- 
scripts and printed editions it is 
vincit. Pierius says it is vicit in the 
Roman manuscript ; and adds, that 
it is vincit in the Medicean copy; 
but that there is a mark under the 
n, which shews it is to be expunged. 
It is vicit in one of the Arundeliau 
manuscripts: all the rest which I 
have collated, have vincit. Heinsius, 
who made use of one of the best 
copies, reads vicit. 

148, Arbuta.] Virgil uses arbu- 



tum for the fruit in this place. In 
the second Georgick he uses arbutus 
for the tree; and in the third, he 
makes arbutum to signify the tree. 
The Greek writers call the tree *o^«- 
go?, and the fruit pvipciiKvXov. Pliny 
calls the fruit unedo. The commen- 
tators observe that Horace uses arbu- 
tus for the fruit. 

Impune tutum per nemus arbutos 
Quserunt latentes, et thyma. 

But as Horace joins arbutos with thy- 
ma, which cannot mean fruit, I ra- 
ther believe we are to understand 
that he meant the trees themselves. 
Lucretius uses arbuta for the fruit 
in two places ; in one of which we 
find glandes atque arbuta, as in this 
passage of Virgil. The arbute or 
strawberry-tree is common enough 
in our gardens. The fruit has very 
much the appearance of our straw- 
berry, but is larger, and has not the 
seeds on tke outside of the pulp, 
like that fruit. It grows plentifully 
in Italy, where the meaner sort of 
people frequently eat the fruit, 
which is but a very sorry diet. 
Hence the poets have supposed the 
people of the first age to have lived 
on acorns and arbutes in the woods, 
before the discovery of corn. Thus 
Lucretius : 

Quod sol, atque imbres dederant, quod 
terra crearat 

Spo«t$ sua, satis id plaeabat pectora 
don urn, 

Glaiidiferas inter curabant pectora quer- 
cus 

Plerumque, et quae nunc hyberno tem- 
pore ccrnis 

Arbuta, phceniceo fieri matura colore. 
F 



34 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



™L™ on loot™ e ™ b s Z Deficerent sylvae, et victum Dodona negarct 

added to the corn : that nox- ■««• . P , , , ,. , . 

ious blights should eat the Mox et frumentis labor audit us: ut mala cul- 

stalks, and thai the lazy thistle 

should be dreadful in the corn IU.OS 150 



Esset robigo, segnisque horreret in arvis 



And Ovid: 

Arbuteos foetus montanaque fraga lege- 
bant. 

149. Deficerent, .] Pierius says, 
that in several very ancient manu- 
scripts it is defuerant; but he thinks, 
not without reason, that dejicerent 
is better. 

Dodo?ia.~\ See the note on Chao- 
niam glandem, ver. 8. 

151. Robigo.] The blight is a 
disease, to which corn is very sub- 
ject: Theophrastus calls it fyvo-fen. 
Many modern writers take robigo 
to signify smut, which is a putre- 
faction of the ear, and converts it 
into a black powder. But Virgil 
mentions it as a disease of the stalk: 
ut mala culmos esset robigo; and 
Pliny tells us it is a disease, not only 
of corn, but of vines : " Caeleste 
" frugum vinearum que malum, nullo 
" minus noxium est robigo :" and 
the title of a chapter in Columella 
is, Ne robigo vineam vexet. Varro 
also invokes the god Robigus, to 
keep the robigo from corrupting the 
corn and trees : " Robigum ac Flo- 
" ram, quibus propitiis, neque ro- 
(e bigo frumenta, atque arbores cor- 
" rumpit, neque non tempestive flo- 
" rent." But smut is a disease to 
which vines are not subject. Pliny 
informs us farther that robigo and 
carbunculus are the same : and his 
description of the carbunculus seems 
plainly enough to belong to blights. 
He says the vines are burnt thereby 
to a coal; no storm does so much 
damage, for that affects only some 
particular spots ; but they lay waste 
whole countries : " In hoc temporis 
" intervallo res sumraa vitiumagitur, 



fc decretorio uvis sidere illo, quod 
" caniculum appellavimus. Unde 
" carbunculare dicuntur, ut quodam 
" uredinis carbone exustae. Non 
C{ comparantur huic malo,grandines, 
iC procellse, quaeque nunquam an- 
" nonae intulere caritatem. Agro- 
" rum quippe mala sunt ilia : car- 
" bunculus autem regionum late pa- 
<e tentium." 

Segnisque horreret in arvis car- 
duus.] Thistles are well known to 
be very injurious to the corn. Our 
common thistle not only sends forth 
creeping roots, which spread every 
way, and sends up suckers on all 
sides : but is propagated also by a 
vast number of seeds, which, by 
means of their winged down, are 
carried to a considerable distance. 
Dr. Woodward has calculated, that 
one thistle seed will produce at the 
first crop twenty -four thousand, and 
consequently five hundred and se- 
venty-six millions of seeds at the 
second crop. What particular spe- 
cies of thistle Virgil meant is not 
certain : perhaps it was the Carduus 
solstitialis, or Saint Barnaby's thistle, 
which, according to Ray, is very fre- 
quent and troublesome in the corn 
fields in Italy. " Monspelii in satis 
" nihil abundantius, nee minus fre- 
" quens in Italia, unde incremento 
" segetum aliquando officit, et mes- 
iC sorum manus pedesque vulnerat." 
The epithet segnis is generally inter- 
preted inutilis, infeecundus : I have 
ventured to translate it lazy, with 
Mr. B — . I believe Virgil called 
the thistle lazy, because none but a 
lazy husbandman would suffer so 
pernicious a weed to infest his corn. 
Servius interprets horreret, abunda- 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



35 



Carduus: intereunt segetes : subit aspera sylva, ^Tp^wo^of E 

T .. i. - , .^ i, .. .„ and caltrops: and amongst 

Lappseque tribulique: interque nitentiaculta 153 the shining com 



ret, ut Mum agrum impleret : I take 
it in this place to signify to appear 
terrible or horrid. Virgil uses it, in 
the eleventh iEneid, to express a 
serpent's erecting his scales : 

Saucius at serpens sinuosa volumina 

versat, 
Arrectisque horret squamis, et sibilat 

ore 
Arduus insurgens. 

In the same book he applies it to 
the scales of a breast-plate : 

Jamque adeo Rutulum thoraca indutus 

ahenis 
Horrebat squamis. 

In the seventh iEneid he applies it 
to rocks : 



Tetricae horrentes rupes. 



In the ninth, to the spoils of a lion: 

Horrentlsque leonis 



Exuvias. 



In many places, he uses it to ex- 
press the terrible appearance of the 
spears of an army. In the seventh 
iEneid we find, 



Atraque late 



Horrescit strictis seges ensibus. 

In the tenth, 

Mille rapit densos acie atque horrentilus 
hastis. 

And 



Horrentes Marte Latinos. 



And in the twelfth, 

■ Strictisque seges mucronibus horret 
Ferrea. 

Thus it may be used with great pro- 
priety to express a thistle, which is 
so horribly armed all over with 
strong prickles. 



152. Inter eujit segetes.] This tran- 
sition to the present tense is very 
beautiful. 

153. Lappce.~\ Lappa seems to 
have been a general word, to ex- 
press such things as stick to the 
garments of those that pass by. 
We use the word burr in the same 
manner: though what is properly 
so called is the head of the Bardana 
major, or burdock. The Lappa of 
Pliny is certainly the cc7rx^tvn of 
Theophrastus ; for he has translated 
the very words of this author. The 
passage of Theophrastus is at the 
beginning of the fourteenth chapter 
of the seventh book of his History 
of Plants : "lhcv 21 xai to %tq) rh o,7fcc~ 

PIMIV, *t XUI TM tfAOtTlM UVTSfcZTCtl 2l» 

riiv r^ec^vr'Arot. xott eV* 2varoe,<poctpirov, Iv 
T8T0J yc&p lyytviTca r<a rgetfciT to civSog 
» 73-goVov, %2l ixtpuivov, ot.X}C \v ietvrS -snr- 
rofttvov xcci o-Trgg^ayovSv' <i>Ve Trcc^oftotov 
iivo&i to <rv[*&ouvcv' axnriQ In) rcov yotXwv 
xxi ptvav. The words of Pliny are, 
" Notabile et in Lappa quae adhae- 
" rescit, quoniam in ipsa flos nas- 
" citur, non evidens, sed intus oc- 
" cultus, et intra se germinat, velut 
" animalia quae in se pariunt." The 
u-7rct£ivn of the Greeks is not our 
burdock, but a little herb, with a 
burry seed, which is very common 
in our hedges, and is called cleavers, 
clivers, or goose grass. Theophras- 
tus, in the eighth chapter of the 
same book, mentions k-jra.pin amongst 
those herbs, which lie on the ground 
unless they are supported; which 
agrees with the cleavers, but not 
with the burdock : "Evict 21 zre^wX- 
XoxxvXot, xx$-ei.7ri(> sj zrirvim, not) » cnra- ' 
g/wj, xxi U7rXug m o xet.vXb$ M7rrog, xui 
pccXoiKos, xeci potxpo$' 2tb xcci (pvovrett 
Txvroc as lirt to zroiv iv uXXoi?. Dios- 
corides is so particular in his de- 
f 2 



36 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



wMTa h tfp7evin ra Vt n un£ e s Infelix lolium, et steriles dominantur avenae. 

vou pursue the ground dili- ~ , . . 'j • , • i. i_ *. ' 

gently with harrows, Quod nisi et assiduis terram insectabere rastns, 



scription of the x-xet^m, that he leaves 
no room to doubt of its being the 
cleavers. He says it has many 
small, square, rough branches, and 
leaves placed in whorls at the joints, 
as in madder. The flowers are 
white : the seeds hard, white, round, 
hollow in the middle, like a navel. 
The herb sticks to one's clothes, 
and the shepherds make use of it 
to get hairs out of their milk: 

A5T«g/yjJ, 61 21 XftTiXOXXPTTOV, CI 21 0{6- 

<PxXox,X(>7rov, ol 2i QtXxvfyairov xxXxtrtv, 
ol ol i^ov. x.Xavig -zroXXoi, pixqci, rirgx- 
ywvoi, r^x-fciig. QvXXx 2i \x. oixrvip,xTog 
KvxXon^g zn^Kilfiiva,, aiTTtig rx rx 
sgv$£o2xvif. avSq Xivx.cH. tmi^px <rxXr>(>ov, 
Xtvxbv, r^oyyvXov, vxokoiXov, \x. pk<m ag 
optyxXog. zs-^otn^irxi 21 xxi ipxrioig vi 
■zrioc. •fczjavTcu 21 xvtv\ xxi cl ■zsciftkvig 
ecvri ffipS \m tS ydX.xx.Tog, TT^og '(kXiv^iv 
ruv h xvra r^yfiv. Pliny says al- 
most the same words concerning 
the aparine : " Aparinen aliqui om- 
i( phalocarpon, alii philanthropon 
" vocant, ramosam, hirsutam, qui- 
<c nis senisve in orbem circa ramos 
" foliis per intervalla : semen rotun- 
" dum, durum, concavum, subdulce. 
" Nascitur in frumentario agro, aut 
" hortis pratisve, asperitate etiam 
" vestium tenaci." Hence it ap- 
pears, either that Pliny lias treated 
of the same plant, under the different 
names of Lappa and Aparine; or 
else that he misunderstood Theo- 
phrastus, and applied what he had 
said of the aparine to the lappa. 
We find in the last quotation from 
Pliny, that the Aparine was a weed 
amongst their corn, so that perhaps 
the Lappa of Virgil was our 
cleavers. 

Tribuli.] The tribulus or land 
caltrop is an herb with a prickly 
fruit, which grows commonly in 
Italy, and other warm countries. It 



is the name also of an instrument 
used in war, to annoy the horse. 
This instrument has r^7g fioXxg, three 
spikes, whence the Greek name 
rgt&oXog is derived. 

This fiction of the poets, that Ju- 
piter caused the earth to produce 
these prickly weeds, seems to have 
been borrowed from Moses. We are 
told in the third chapter of Genesis, 
that when God cursed the earth, he 
said it should bring forth thorns and 
thistles, as it is in our translation. 
The LXX have XKsivSxg kxI r^QoXag. 

The Hebrew words, seem to signify 
any prickly, troublesome weeds: 
for ^lp, which is rendered a thorn, 
is derived from the verb pp, which 
signifies to make uneasy ; and "1T")*7, 
which is rendered a thistle, or -rg/- 
QoXog, is derived from 1~\7, freedom, 
because it grows freely in unculti- 
vated places. 

154. Infelix lolium, et steriles do- 
minantur avence.~] Virgil has this 
very line in his fifth Eclogue : 

Grandia sspe quibus mandavimus hordes 

sulcis 
Infelix lolium, et steriles dominantur 

avenae. 

Lolium or Darnel is a common weed 
in our corn fields. The wild oats are 
no less frequent in many places. 
They are not the common oats de- 
generated by growing wild, but a 
quite different species : the chaff of 
them is hairy, and the seed is small, 
like that of grass. It was the ge- 
neral opinion of the ancients that 
wheat and barley degenerated into 
these weeds: but they are specifi- 
cally different, and rise from their 
own seeds. The word dominantur is 
very proper ; for these weeds grow 
so tall, that they overtop the corn. 

155. Quod nisi et assiduis, fyc.\ 
Here the poet concludes with a par- 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



37 



Et sonitu terrebis aves, et ruris opaci 156 

Falce premes umbras, votisque vocaveris ira- 

brem : 
Heu magnum alterius frustra spectabis acervum; 
Concussaque famem in sylvis solabere quercu. 
Dicendum et quaesint durisagrestibusarma: 160 
Queis sine nee potuere seri nee surgere messes. 
Vomis, et inflexi primum grave robur aratri, 
Tardaque Eleusinsb matris volventia plaustra, 
Tribulaque, traheaeque, et iniquo pondere rastri: 



and make a noise to scare the 
birds, and restrain the over- 
shading boughs with your 
sickle, and call down the 
showers with prayers: alas, 
you shall behold another's 
large heap in vain, and relieve 
your hunger i n the wood* 
with shaking an oak. I must 
also mention the arms which 
belong to the laborious hus- 
bandmen: without which the 
corn can neither be sown, nor 
spring up. In the first place 
the share, and the heavy tim- 
ber of the crooked plough, 
and the slow rolling carts of 
Eleusinian Ceres, and thresh- 
ing instruments, and sleds and 
harrows of unwieldy weight : 



ticular injunction to avoid the 
plagues which he mentioned about 
the beginning of this article. He 
mentions the diligent harrowing, to 
destroy the weeds, because succory 
is injurious, amaris iniuba Jibris qffi- 
ciunt. Pierius says, that in the Me- 
dicean manuscript, instead of terram 
insectabere rastris, it is herbam in- 
sectabere rastris : the same reading 
is in the Bodleian manuscript. He 
says the birds are to be scared away, 
because geese and cranes are trou- 
blesome : improbus anser Slryjnoni- 
ceque grues officiunt. He advises to 
restrain the overshading boughs, 
because shade is hurtful to the corn, 
umbra nocet. He puts the husband- 
man in mind of praying for showers, 
because they depend on the will of 
the gods. He had spoken before of 
praying for seasonable weather. 

Humida solstitia atque hyemes orate 

serenas 
Agricolae. 

158. Spectabis.'] It is exspectabis 
in the Medicean manuscript, accord- 
ing to Pierius. It is the same in 
the Bodleian manuscript. 

159- Concussa.l It is excussa in 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 

160. Dicendum, #c.] Here the 
poet begins to describe the various 
instruments, with which a husband- 
man ought to be provided. 



162. Robur, .] Robur is the name 
of a particular sort of oak : but it is 
used also for any solid timber. Thus 
we find it, in the twelfth iEneid, 
applied to the wood of a wild olive- 
tree: 

Fprte saeer Fauni foliis oleaster amaris 

Hie steterat.- ■ > 

Viribus haud ullis valuit discludere 

morsus 
Roboris iEneas. 

In this place I take it to mean the 
beam, or solid body of the plough. 

163. Tardaque Eleusince matris 
volventia plaustra.'] This line beau- 
tifully describes the slow motion of 
the cart. Ceres is called Eleusina 
mater, from Eleusis, an Athenian 
town, where Ceres was hospitably 
received by Celeus, and in return, 
taught his people the art of hus- 
bandry. The Eleusinians, in ho- 
nour of this goddess, instituted the 
Eleusinian feasts, which were very 
famous. It was death to disclose 
any of their mysteries. In the 
feasts of Ceres at Rome, her statue 
was carried about in a cart or 
waggon. 

164. Tribute.] The tribulum or 
tribula was an instrument used by 
the ancients to thresh their corn. 
It was a plank set with stones, or 
pieces of iron, with a weight laid 
upon it, and so was drawn over the 



38 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



add to these the mean osier 
furniture of Celeus, arbute 
hurdles, and the mystic fan of 
Bacchus : all which you must 
carefully provide long before- 
hand, if you have a due re.ard 
for divine husbandry. In the 
first place the elm is forcibly 
bent in the woods into a 
plough-tail, and receives the 
form of the crooked plough. 
To the end of this are joined 
a beam eight feet in length, 
two earth boards, and share- 
beams, with a double back. 



Virgea praeterea Celei, vilisque supellex, 165 
Arbutese crates, et mystica vannus Iacchi : 
Omnia quae multo ante memor provisa repones, 
Si te digna manet divini gloria ruris. 
Continuo in sylvis magna vi flexa domatur 
In burim, et curvi formam accipit ulmus aratri. 
Huic a stirpe pedes temo protentus in octo, 171 
Binoe aures, duplici aptantur dentalia dorso. 



corn by oxen. Varro has given us 
the description of it : " Id fit e ta- 
" bula lapidibus, aut ferro asperata, 
te quo imposito auriga, aut pondere 
Ci grandi, trahitur jumentis junctis, 
" ut discutiat e spica grana." Tri- 
bulum is derived from r^ila, to thresh. 
Hence we may see why the first 
syllable of trihulum is long; but 
that of tribulus short. I mentioned, 
in the note on tribuli, ver. 153/ that 
tribulus,' the name of a plant, and of 
an instrument used in war, is so 
called from its having r^sTg /3oA«s, 
three spikes. Now the compounds 
of rgws have the first syllable short; 
as T£i7ntq, of which we have frequent 
instances in Homer. I shall men- 
tion only one, in the twenty-third 
Iliad: 

But the first syllable of r^'&w is long; 
of which we have an instance a few 
lines after, in the same Iliad : 

Traheoe."] The trahea or traha is 
a carriage without wheels. It was 
used to beat out the corn, as well as 
the tribulum. This appears from Co- 
lumella: " At si competit, ut in area 
'.' teratur frumentum, nihil dubium 
" est, quin equis melius, quam bubus 
" ea res conficiatur, et si pauca juga 
" sunt, adjicere tribulam et traham 
" possis, quae res utraque culmos fa- 
" cillime comminuit." 



Iniquo pondere rosin.] See the 
note on ver. 95. 

165. Celei.~\ Celeus was the fa- 
ther of Triptolemus, whom Ceres 
instructed in husbandry. 

166. Arbutece crates.] See the 
notes on ver. 95 and 148. 

Mystica vannus Iacchi.'] The fan 
is an instrument used to cleanse the 
corn: thus Columella; " Ipsa? au- 
" tem spicas melius fustibus tundun- 
" tur, vannisque expurgantur." It is 
called mystica, because it was used 
in the mysteries of Bacchus. Iac- 
chus was a name of Bacchus seldom 
made use of, but on solemn and 
sacred occasions. 

169. Continuo in sylvis, fyc] Here 
the poet gives us a description of the 
plough, in which we find that the 
custom was to bend an elm, as it 
grew, into the crooked form of the 
buris, or plough-tail, to which the 
beam, the earth-boards, and the 
share-beam were fastened. 

171. Temo.] This is the beam, or 
pole, which goes between the oxen, 
and to which they are yoked. He- 
siod calls it iroZoevg, which is derived 
from iVof, a mast, and fiovg, an ox. 
He says it is made either of bay or 
elm : 

172. Aures.~\ These must be the 
earth-boards, which being placed on 
each side of the share-beam, serve 
to make the furrows wider, and the 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



39 



Caeditur et tilia ante jugo levis, altaque fagus, 
Stivaque, quae currus a tergo torqueat imos : 



The light lime-tree also is cut 
down beforehand for the yoke, 
and the tall beech, and the 
staff, to turn the bottom of 
the carriage behind i 



ridges higher. Palladius tells us 
that some ploughs had earth-boards, 
and others not. " Aratra simplicia, 
" vel si plana regio permittit, anrita, 
" quibus possint contra stationes hu- 
" moris hyberni, sata celsiore sulco 
" attolli." 

Duplici dentalia dorso.~] Dentale 
is the share-beam, a piece of wood 
to which the share is fixed. But why 
they are said to have a double back 
seems not to be very clear. The com- 
mentators generally agree that by 
double is meant broad, and quote 
some authorities for this interpreta- 
tion. Servius indeed tells us, that 
most of the plough-shares in Italy 
have a wing on each side; " cujus 
' c utrumque eminet latus : nam fere 
et hujusmodi sunt omnes vomeres in 
" Italia." On this account Virgil 
might have called the share double, 
but why the board should be said to 
have a double back, I do not readily 
comprehend. A passage in Hesiod 
seems to be of some use in removing 
this difficulty. It is agreed on all 
hands, that Virgil had Hesiod's 
plough before him when he made 
this description. The Greek poet 
speaking of the ywrc, which all in- 
terpret dentale, says it is fastened 
to the plough-tail, and at the same 
time nailed to the pole : 

— — • Q?iguv Bs yv'/iv, or oiv tugys, 
E/'j olxov, xxt ogot oi£'/if&ivo; t) kxt cigvgav, 
Ugivivov, os yo\() (ZxiTiv aoovv o%ugcuTOi]!>s Wtv, 
TLvr' av 'A$»j>/«/»jj o*f/.a>os l» IkCfcan ■zstr^a.^, 
TifjLQoiffiv zriXocffus -zTgoffoigngtrxi /V06OS7/. 

Now if we suppose the dentale or 
share-beam to have been made with 
two legs, one of which was fastened 
to the bottom of the tail, and the 
other nailed to the beam, which 
would make all three hold faster to- 
gether; it will easily appear, that 



Virgil means these two legs by his 
duplex dorsum. Hesiod speaks of 
two sorts of ploughs, one with the 
plough-tail and share-beam of one 
piece, and another, where they are 
joined. He advises to have both 
these in readiness, that if one should 
break, the other may be at hand. 

Aoicc It SiffS-xi aoor^u., 7rovy<rdfiivos xara. 
oikov, 

Avroyuov, kou ■zfYixrbv. Wu zfoXu Kuiov 

tireo;. 
Et % trtgov y «£«/?, tngov y \<r) fixe) 

(ZdXoio. 

173. Altaque fagus, stivaque.^ 
Stiva is the plough-staff, which with 
us is generally fixed to the share- 
beam, in the same manner as the 
hurts, or tail, so that we have two 
tails or handles to our ploughs : but 
sometimes it is a loose staff, with a 
hook at the end, with which the 
ploughman takes hold of the back 
part of the plough, to turn it. 

The grammatical construction of 
this passage does not seem very 
clear. Caeditur is made to agree 
with tilia, fagus, and stiva. We 
may say tilia cceditur, and fagus 
catditur ; but to* say at the same time 
stiva cceditur seems to be absurd: 
for this makes the staff a tree, by 
coupling it with lime and beech. 
Besides que and quae coming close 
together pffend the ear, and I be- 
lieve there is not another instance of 
their coming thus together any 
where in Virgil. I believe instead 
of stivaque we ought to read stivae; 
which will make the sense clearer, 
and the verse better : 

Caeditur et tilia ante jugo levis, altaque 

fagus 
Stivae, quae currus a tergo torqueat imos. 

" The light lime-tree also is cut 
" down beforehand for the yoke, 



40 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



StaS^b!? sSnSfby Et suspensa focis explorat robora fumus. 1 75 



" and the tall beech for the staff, to 
et turn the bottom of the carriage 
" behind." The Bodleian manu- 
script has stiva que currus. 

Currus.~\ " I do not know whe- 
(C ther any edition justifies the alter- 
ec ation I have made in this line, of 
" currus to cursus. The reason of 
cc my doing it is because cursus is in- 
te telligible, and explains the use of 
' ' the handle, or plough staff; cursus 
cc torqueat imos, the handle serves to 
cc keep the plough up, which other- 
(( wise would run down too deep in 
" the ground. Mr. Dryden finding 
" this passage difficult to explain, 
** has left it quite out of his transla- 
" tion. All that the commentators 
u have said concerning currus in 
" this place is very perplext." Mr. 
B— . 

The poet is thought by some to 
mean a wheel-plough, by the word 
currus, which is derived from curro, 
to run ; and Servius informs us, that 
in Virgil's country, the ploughs run 
upon wheels: we have wheel-ploughs 
in many parts of England. 

175. Explorat .] The King's, the 
Bodleian, and one of the Arunde- 
lian manuscripts, -have explorct. 
Servius, La Cerda, Schrevelius, and 
several printed editions have the 
same reading. Pierius seems willing 
to admit exploret: though at the 
same time he says it is explorat in 
the Roman manuscript, and in the 
very ancient oblong one. Heinsius 
and Ruaeus read explorat. It is the 
same in the other Arundelian, the 
Cambridge, and both Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts. 

I have here inserted the figure of 
a modem Italian plough, which 
seems to differ but little from that 
which Virgil has described. It seems 
to have no stiva, distinct from the 
hurls ; and it has a coulter, which 



Virgil does not mention. And in- 
deed Pliny, who describes the coul- 
ter, seems to speak as if it was not 
in all ploughs. "■ Vomerum plura 
te genera. Culter vocatur, praeden- 
" sam, prius quam proscindatur, 
" terram secans, futurisque sulcis 
" vestigia praescribens incisuris, quas 
" resupinus in arando mordeat vo- 
" mer." 

After my notes on this passage 
were printed, I had the favour of a 
letter from Sir Daniel Molyneux, 
Bart, dated from Rome, July 27, 
1737, with a drawing and descrip- 
tion of the plough which is now 
used about Mantua and Venice. 
There is a plough used in many 
parts of England, which differs very 
little from this ; but yet, I believe, 
it will be no small satisfaction to my 
readers, to find an exact account of 
the very plough, now employed in 
cultivating the lands in Virgil's own 
country. 

The two timbers marked A are 
each made of one piece of wood, 
and are fastened together with three 
wooden pins at B. 

C, C, are two transverse pieces of 
wood, which serve to hold the han- 
dles together at the back. 

D is a piece of wood fastened to 
the left handle, or Sinistrella, at E, 
and to the beam F. 

F is the beam, or Periica, which 
is fastened to the left handle, at G. 

H is the plough-share, into which 
the Dejitahy or share-beam, seems 
to be inserted. 

I is the coulter, being a piece of 
iron, square in the body, which is 
fixed in the beam, and bending in 
the lower part, and having an edge, 
to cut the weeds. 

L is an iron chain, fastened at one 
end to the plough-pillow, or Mesolo 
N ; and, at the other, to the beam 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



41 



Possum multa tibi veterum praecepta referre ; 
Ni refugis, tenuesque piget cognosccre curas. 
Area cum primis ingenti asquanda cylindro, 



I can recite to you many pre- 
cepts of the ancients, unless 
you decline them, and are 
loth to be informed of small 
things. In the first place, the 
floor is to be smoothed with a 
huge rolling stone, 



by an iron hammer M ; the handle 
of which serves for a pin, and the 
more forward you place the ham- 
mer, the deeper the share goes into 
the ground. 

O, are two pieces of wood fast- 
ened to the pillow, which serve to 
keep the beam in the middle. 

P is the pole, or Timonzella, to 
which the oxen are yoked, and is of 
no certain length. 

Q, R, with pricked lines is a strong 
plank, which is fastened to D, and 
to the left handle. This being placed 
sloping serves to turn up the earth, 
and make the furrow wider. This 
part therefore is the earth-board, or 
auris, of Virgil, of which he says 
there should be two : but in this 
plough there seems to be but one. 

1 do not question, but that the 
Mantuan plough was in Virgil's 
time more simple than that here de- 
scribed : but let us compare a little 
the poet's description witli the figure 
now before us. Let the left handle 
A A, be supposed to be the Bin-is, 
the right handle A A, to be the Stiva, 
and A E, A B, to be the two Denia- 
lia. Here then we see the crooked 
Buris, to form which an elm was 
bent as it grew. Near the bottom 
of this, hide a stirpe, we see the pole 
is inserted, which probably was con- 
tinued to the length of eight feet, 
and had the oxen yoked to it, with- 
out the intervention of the Timon- 
zella. Thus the plough wanted the 
advantage of having the share go 
lighter or deeper, which may be a 
modern improvement. The two 
handles may very well be supposed 
to be meant by the double back, to 
which the two share-beams are join- 



ed. Upon this supposition we must 
make some alteration in interpreting 
the two following verses : 

Huic a stirpe pedes temo protentus in 

octo : 
Binae aures, duplici aptantur dentalia 
dorso. 

" From the bottom of this a beam 
<c is protended, eight feet in length: 
" and two earth-boards, and share - 
" beams are fitted to the double 
" back." The wheels were probably 
fixed immediately to the beam, and 
shew the propriety of the word 
currus, as is already observed in the 
note on ver. 174. 

. 176. Possum multa tibi, Sj-c] After 
the mention of the instruments of 
agriculture, he gives instructions 
concerning the making of the floor. 

Veterum prcecepla.] He means 
Cato and Varro, who wrote before 
him ; and from whom he has taken 
the directions relating to the floor. 

178. Area.] Cato directs the floor 
to be made in the following man- 
ner : dig the earth small, and 
sprinkle it well with lees of oil, that 
it may be well soaked. Beat it to 
powder, and smooth it with a roll- 
ing stone or a rammer. When it is 
smooth, the ants will not be trou- 
blesome, and when it rains it will 
not grow muddy : " Aream ubi fru- 
u mentum teratur sic facito : Con- 
" fodiatur minute terra, amurca 
rt bene conspergatur, ut combibat 
" quam plurimum. Comminuito 
" terram, et cylindro aut pavicula 
" coaequato. Ubi cosequata erit, 
" neque formicae molestae erunt, et 
" cum pluerit lutum non erit.'* 
Varro is more large in his descrip- 
tion of the floor ; and mentions not 



42 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and to be wrought with the 
hand, and consolidated with 
binding chalk : to keep weeds 
from growing up, and to pre- 
serve it from growing dusty 
and chapping. Then various 
plagues mock your hopes: the 
little mouse often ha< built its 
house under the ground, and 
made its iranaiies: or the 
blind moles have digged their 
chambers: the toad aLo is 
found in hollow places, and 
other vermin, which the earth 
produces in abundance : and 
the vveavel destroys the great 
heap of corn, and the ant also, 
which is afraid of a needy old 
age. 



Et vertenda manu, et creta solidanda tenaci : 
Ne subeant herbse, neu pulvere victa fatiscat. 1 80 
Turn variae illudunt pestes : saepe exiguus mus 
Sub terris posuitque domos, atque horrea fecit ; 
Aut oculis capti fodere cubilia talpae : 
Inventusque cavis bufo, et quae plurima terras 
Monstra ferunt : populatque ingentem farris 
acervum 185 

Curculio, atque inopi metuens formica senectae. 



only the ants, but mice and moles: 
" Aream esse oportet — solida terra 
" pavitam, maxime si est argilla, ne 
" aestu pseminosa, in rimis ejus 
" grana obiitescant, et recipiant 
te aquam, et ostia aperiant muribus 
ec ac formicis. Itaque amurca solent 
" perfundere : ea enim herbarum 
" est inimica et formicarum : et tal- 
<e parum venenum." 

Cum primis ingenli azquanda.\ 
Some copies have cum primum, others 
turn primum. Aulus Gellius observes 
that cum primis is the same with in 
primis. " Apprime crebrius est : cum 
lC prime rarius : traductumque ex 
" eo est, quod cum primis dicebant, 
e ' pro eo quod est in primis" Those 
who read primum, insert est either 
after primum or ingenti. Pierius 
says that in the Medicean, and most 
of the ancient copies, it is cum primis 
ingenli oequanda without est. 

Cylindro.~] The Cylinder seems to 
have been a stone, not unlike that 
with which we roll our gardens. 
Palladius speaks of a fragment of a 
pillar being used for a roller. " Ju- 
" nio mense area paranda est ad tri- 
" turam, cujus primo terra radatur, 
tc deinde effossa leviter mistis paleis, 
" et amurca aequatur insulsa. Quae 
" res a muribus et formicis frumenta 
u defendit. Tunc premenda est ro- 
" tundo lapide, vel columnae quo- 



" cunque fragmento, cujus volutatio 
" possit ejus spatia solidare." 

181. Illuduni.~\ Pierius says it is 
illudant in the Roman and several 
other ancient manuscripts. One of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts has illudant: 
it is the same in the editions of 
Heinsius and Paul Stephens. Ser- 
vius and most of the editors admit 
illudunt. 

Exiguus mus."] Quintilian justly ob- 
serves, that not only the diminishing 
epithet, but the ending of the verse 
with one syllable, beautifully ex- 
presses the littleness of the animal : 
" Risimus, et merito, nuper poetam 
" qui dixerat, 

" Prortcxtam in cista mures roscre Cam'illi. 

" At Virgilii miramur illud, 

" Soepc exiguus mus. 

" Nam epitheton exiguus, aptum 
" proprium effecit ne plus expec- 
" taremus, et casus singularis magis 
" decuit, et clausula ipsa unius syl- 
" labae non usitata, adcht gratiam." 

183. Oculis capti talpce.~\ The 
poet speaks according to the vulgar 
opinion, when he says the moles are 
blind: but it is certain that they 
have eyes, though they are small 
ones. 

186. Curculio.] Some read Cur- 
gulio: others Gurgulio. 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



43 



Contemplator item, cum se nux plurima sylvis 



Observe also when the walnut- 
tree 



187. Contemplator item, 8fC.~\ In 
this passage he shews the husband- 
man how he may form a judgment 
of his future harvest. 

Nux.] The commentators seem 
to be unanimous in rendering nux 
the almond-tree : but I cannot dis- 
cover upon what grounds. I believe 
nux has never been used, without 
some epithet, to express an almond- 
tree. That it is used for a walnut- 
tree, is plain from Ovid's poem de 
Nuce. Virgil says in the second 
Georgick, that the mix is ingrafted 
on the arbutus : 

Inseritur vero ex fcetu nucis arbutus 
horrida. 

That this is to be understood of the 
walnut, appears from Palladius : 

Arbuteas frondes vastae nucis occupat 

umbra 
Pomaque sub duplici cortice tuta refert. 

Palladius could not mean the al- 
mond, when he spoke of a great 
shade, which is very applicable to 
the walnut. In another place he 
has a chapter de Nuce Juglande, 
where he says expressly, that the 
walnut is ingrafted on the arbute : 
" Inseritur, ut plerique asserunt, 
ft mense Februario, in Arbuto." We 
have nux but once more in all Virgil ; 
it is in the eighth Eclogue : 

Mopse novas incide faces: tibi ducitur 
uxor. 

Sparge marite nuces ; tibi deserit Hes- 
perus (Etam. 



-Prepare the lights 



Mopsus, and perform the bridal rites. 

Scatter thy nuts among the scrambling 
boys: 

Thine is the night; and thine the nup- 
tial joys, 

Dryden. 

The ancient custom of throwing 
nuts amongst the boys at weddings, 



is well known. We learn from 
Pliny that these nuts were walnuts : 
and that they were used in the nup- 
tial ceremonies, because the fruit is 
so well defended with a thick rind, 
and a woody shell : " Ab his locum 
" amplitudine vindicaverunt, quae 
u cessere autoritati, nuces juglandes, 
" quanquam et ipsae nuptialium 
" Fescenniorum comites, multum 
" pineis minores universitate, eae- 
" demque portione ampliores nu- 
" cleo. Necnon et honor his na- 
" turae peculiaris, gemino pro tectis 
' c operimento, pulvinati primum ca- 
" lycis, mox lignei putaminis. Quae 
<c causa eas nuptiis fecit religiosas, 
" tot modis fcetu munito, quod est 
" verisimilius, quam quia cadendo 
" tripudium sonumve faciant." 

Plurima.~] Servius interprets this 
word longa, and thinks it is designed 
to express the long shape of the al- 
mond. Dr. Trapp understands it to 
mean the tallness of the tree : 

Observe too, when in woods the almond 

tall 
Blossoms with flowers, and bends jts 

smelling boughs. 

I take it to signify very muck, or 
plentifully : in which sense it is to 
be understood in the following pas- 
sage of the second Georgick : 

Hsec eadem argenti rivos, aerisque me- 

talla 
Ostendit venis, atque auro plurima fluxit. 

Here Ruaeus interprets the three 
last words auro multum abundavit : 
and Dr. Trapp translates these 
lines ; 

The same blest region veins of silver 

shews, 
Rivers of brass ; and flows in copious gold? 

A few lines after we find 

Indicio est, tractu surgens oleaster eodem 
Plurimus, 

,g2 



44 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



shall put on its bloom plenti- 
fully in the woods, and bend 
down its strong smelling 
branches : if it abounds in 
fruit, you will have a like 
quantity of com. and a great 
threshing with much heat. 
But if it abounds with a lux- 
uriant shade of leaves, in vain 
shall your floor thresh the 
com, which abounds with no- 
thing but chaff. 1 have seen 
some medicate their seeds be- 
fore they sow ; and steep them 
in nitre 'and black lees of oil, 
to cause a fuller produce in 
the deceitful pods. Andthough 
they havebeen moistened over 
a gentle fire to quicken them, 
and long tried, and examined 
with much labour, 



Induet in florem, et ramos curvabit olentes : 
Si superant foetus, pariter frumenta sequentur, 
Magnaque cum magno veniet tritura calore. 190 
At si luxuria foliorum exuberat umbra, 
Nequicquam pingues palea teret area culmos. 
Semina vidi equidem multos medicare serentes, 
Et nitro prius, et nigra perfundere am urea, 
Grandior ut foetus siliquis fallacibus esset. 195 
Et quamvis igni exiguo properata maderent, 
Vidi lecta diu, et multo spectata labore 



Dr. Trapp does not translate oleaster 
plurimus the wild olive tall, but 

This the wild olives shew, when thick 

they rise 
On the same mould. 

I believe May is the only translator, 
who has given plurima the true 
sense, in the passage under our con- 
sideration : 



Consider thou 
bloom. 



when nut-trees ful 



188. Ramos olentes.~\ The strong 
smell of the branches is more appli- 
cable to the walnut than to the al- 
mond. The very shade of the wal- 
nut was thought by the ancients to 
be injurious to the head. Pliny 
says in lib, xvii. cap. 12. " Jam 
" quaedam umbrarum proprietas, 
(C Juglandium gravis et noxia, etiam 
<( capiti humano, omnibusque juxta 
fC satis." And in lib. xxiii. cap. 8. 
he says, " Arborum ipsarum folio - 
" rumque vires in cerebrum pene- 
« trant." 

191. Exuberat.] In one of the 
Arundelian and one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts, it is exsuperat. But 
this must be an error of the tran- 
scribers ; for the second syllable in 
exuperat is short ; as in the second 
Mneid : 

Sanguines exuperant undas. 



192. Nequicquam.] Servius, and 
after him La Cerda, interprets ne- 
quicquam pingues to be the same as 
non pingues : which I believe is not 
the sense in this place. Nequicquam 
frequently occurs in Virgil : but sel- 
dom is used for not. See the note 
on ver. 403. 

Palea.] Some copies have palece : 
but palea is generally received. 

193. Semina vidi equidem, fyc] In 
this place he adds a precept relating 
to beans : that they should be picked 
every year, and only the largest 
sown; without which care all the 
artful preparations made by some 
husbandmen is in vain. 

I have interpreted this passage 
to relate to beans, on the authority 
of Pliny, who says, " Virgilius ni- 
" tro et amurca perfundi jubetyiz- 
" bam : sic etiam grandescere pro- 
(c mittit." 

194. Perfundere.] Schrevelius reads 
prqfundere. 

195. Siliquis fallacibus.] The men- 
tion of pods shews that the poet 
speaks of pulse. The pods are called 
deceitful, because they often grow 
to a sufficient size, when upon ex- 
amination they prove almost empty. 

197. Vidi lecta diu.'] Columella 
reads vidi ego lecta diu. One of Dr, 
Mead's manuscripts has vidi lecia 
manu. 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



45 



Degenerare tamen ; ni vis humana quotannis 
Maxima quaeque manu legeret. Sic omnia fatis 
In pejus mere, ac retro sublapsa referri : 200 
Nonaliter, quam qui adverso vix fluminelembum 
Remigiis subigit; si brachia forte remisit, 
Atque ilium in praeceps prono rapit alveus amni. 
Praeterea tarn sunt Arcturi sidera nobis, 
Hoedorum que dies servandi, et lucidus anguis; 
Quam quibus in patriam ventosa per sequora 
vectis 206 

Pontus, et ostriferi fauces tentantur Abydi. 



yet have I seen them degene- 
rate, unless a man picked out 
the largest of them one by one 
every year. Thus every thing 
by fate degenerates and runs 
backwards : just as when any 
one is rowing with difficulty 
against a stream, if he happens 
to slacken his arms, immedi- 
ately the tide drives him head- 
long down the river. Besides 
we ought as much to observe 
the stars of Arcturus, and the 
days of the kids, and the shin- 
ing dragon ; as those, who re- 
turning homewards through 
the stormy main, venture in 
the Euxine sea, and the straits 
of oyster-breeding Abydos, 



200. Retro sublapsa referri.] Thus 
in the second JEneid : 

Ex illo fluere ac retro sublapsa referri 
Spes Danaum. 

203. Atque.] Aulus Gellius ob- 
serves that atque is to be rendered 
statim in this passage : " Et prae- 
" terea pro alio quoque adverbio 
" dicitur, id est statim, quod in his 
" Virgilii versibus existimatur ob- 
" scure et insequenter particula ista 
" posita esse." 

204. Praeterea, S^cT] In this pas- 
sage the poet inculcates the necessity 
of understanding A stronomy : which 
he says is as useful to the farmer, as 
to the sailor. 

204. Arcturi.] Arcturus is a star 
of the first magnitude in the sign 
Bootes, near the tail of the Great 
Bear. Its name is derived from 
*£ktos, a bear, and ovgee, a tail. The 
weather is said to be tempestuous 
about the time of its rising : ' ' vehe- 
" mentissimo significatu," says Pliny, 
" terra marique per dies quinque :" 
and in another place; " Arcturi 
" vero sidus non ferme sine pro- 
" cellosa grandine emergit." 

205. Hoedorum.] The kids are 
two stars on the arm of Auriga. 
They also predict storms, according 
to Aratus : 



Ei ¥t <roi yivto%ov rt xat a?i(>u$ fivio^oio 
"ZxivrMrS-xi Iok'ioi xairoi tpoLris favStv alyh 
At/T>is ft V i^itpuv, oW th aXt -srogtpugioucrri 
TIoWkxis Iffxi^ayro xtScaoftiviis ivS-guffHs. 

And Pliny : ' c Ante omnia autem 
" duo genera esse caelestis injuria? 
" meminisse debemus. Unum .quod 
" tempestates vocamus, in quibus 
" grandines, procellae, caeteraque si- 
" milia intelliguntur : quae cum ac- 
" ciderint vis major appellatur. Haec 
" ab horridis sideribus exeunt, ut 
<c saepius diximus, veluti Arcturo, 
" Orione, Hcedis." 

Anguish] The dragon is a northern 
constellation. See the note on ver. 
244. 

207. fontus.] This is commonly 
taken to mean the Hellespont : but 
that is to be understood by the 
straits of Abydos, fauces Abydi, I 
take it to mean the Black or Euxine 
sea, which has the character of being 
very tempestuous. 

Ostriferi Abydi."] Abydos is situ- 
ated on the Asiatic side of the Helle- 
spont. It was famous for oysters : 
thus Ennius: 

Mures sunt jEnij aspera ostrea plurima 
Abydi. 

And Catullus : 

Hunc lucum tibi dedico, consecroque, 
Priape, 



AG 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



hours" o¥ b the 'da S sleep Libra dies somnique pares ubi fecerit horas, 

3ibS5eS%h^dda?k' Et medium luci, atque umbris jam dividit orbem: 

ness, then work your bullocks, . . • i i ^ -, n 

ye ploughmen, and sow barley Lxercete, viri, tauros: sente hordea campis, 210 

in the fields, till about the last 7 7 r 

wK'sdstice. impracticaWe Usque sub extremum brum<e intractabilis im- 
brem. 



Qua domus tua Lampsaci est, quaque 

sylva Priape. 
Nam te praecipue in suis urbibus colit ora 
Hellespontia, caeteris ostreosior oris. 

208. Libra dies, <$-c] Here Vir- 
gil exemplifies his precept relating 
to Astronomy. 

The time, which he mentions for 
sowing barley, is from the autumnal 
equinox to the winter solstice. This 
perhaps may seem strange to an 
English reader; it being our cus- 
tom to sow it in the spring. But it 
is certain that in warmer climates 
they sow it at the latter end of _the 
year: whence it happens that their 
barley harvest is considerably sooner 
than their wheat harvest. Thus we 
find in the book of Exodus, that the 
flax and the barley were destroyed 
by the hail, because the barley was 
in the ear, and the flax was in seed, 
but the wheat and the rye escaped, 
because they were not yet come up. 

Dies.] Amongst the ancient Ro- 
mans the genitive case of the fifth 
declension ended in es: thus dies 
was the same with what we now 
write diei. Sometimes it was written 
die : which all the editors receive in 
this place. I have restored dies, on 
the authority of A. Gellius, who 
says that those, who saw Virgil's 
own manuscript, affirmed, that it 
was written dies. " Q. Ennius in 
f e sexto decimo annali dies scripsit 
ce pro diei in hoc versu : 

" Postrema longinqua dies confecerit cetas. 

" Ciceronem quoque aifirmat Caesel- 
" lius in oratione, quam pro P. Sestio 
f fecit, dies scripsisse, pro diet, quod 



ego impensa opera conquisitis ve- 
teribus libris plusculis ita, ut Cse- 
sellius ait scriptum inveni. Verba 
sunt heec Marci Tullii: Equites 
vero daturos illius dies poenas. Quo 
circa factum hercle est, ut facile 
iis credam, qui scripserunt idio- 
graphum librum Virgilii se in- 
spexisse; in quo ita scriptum est: 

" Libra dies somnique pares ubi fecerit 

" horas : 



" id est, Libra diei somnique." 

209 . Dividit.'] So I find it in both 
the Arundelian manuscripts, and in 
Heinsius, and several of the old edi- 
tions. Servius, and after him most 
of the editors read dividei. 

210. Hordea.] Servius informs 
us that Bavius and Maevius were 
greatly offended at Virgil, for using 
hordea in the plural number : and 
expressed their resentment in the 
following verse : 

Hordea qui dixit, superest ut Iritica dicat. 

Hence it seems that the objections, 
which those ancient critics made 
to Virgil, were only grammatical ca- 
vils. 

211. Usque sub extremum brumce 
intractabilis imbrem7\ Bruma cer- 
tainly means the winter solstice : but 
what Virgil means by the last 
shower of it I must acknowledge 
myself unable to explain. Pliny 
understands our poet to mean that 
barley is to be sown between the 
autumnal equinox and the winter 
solstice. " Virgilius triticum et far 
" a vergiliarum occasu seri jubet, 
" hordeum inter aequinoctium au-? 



GEORG. LIB. I. 

Nee non et lini segetem, et Cereale papaver 



47 



It is al o time to cover flax in 
the ground, and the poppy of 
Ceres, 



" tumni et brumam." The same 
author tells us expressly that barley 
is to be sown only in dry weather : 
" Hordeum, nisi sit siccum, ne se- 
u rito." Palladius speaks of sowing 
barley in September, October, and 
November ; but says it is full late 
to sow it in December : " Decembri 
4< mense seruntur frumenta, triti- 
" cum, far, hordeum, quamvis hor- 
" dei satio jam sera sit." These 
directions of Pliny and Palladius 
seem by no means to agree with 
Virgil's extending the sowing time 
to the last shower of the solstice. 
The autumnal equinox, in Virgil's 
time, was about the twenty-fourth 
of September; and the winter sol- 
stice about the twenty-fifth of De- 
cember. Hipparchus, according to 
Columella, places it on the seven- 
teenth of December, and the Chal- 
deans on the twenty-fourth. Ac- 
cording to Pliny it was on the 
twenty-fifth : "Bruma Capricorni ab 
" viii. Calend. Januarii fere." 

The poet calls the winter solstice 
intractabilis, because the cold, which 
comes at that season, begins to put 
a stop to the labours of the plough- 
man. That the cold begins to be 
severe at that time, even in Italy, 
we have the testimony of Lucre- 
tius : 

Tandem brurna nives adfert, pigrumque 

rigorem 
Reddit, Hyems sequitur, crepitans ac 

dentibus Algus. 

212. Lini.'] Columella and Pal- 
ladius agree with Virgil about the 
time of sowing flax. Columella 
says it is from the first of October 
to the seventh of December : " Se- 
" ritur a Calendis Octobris in or- 
" turn Aquila?, qui est vn. Idus 
" Decembris." Palladius says the 
time for sowing of it is October : 



" Hoc mense lini semen seremus." 
And again, under December, he 
says, " Hoc etiam mense adhuc 
" lini semen spargi poterit, usque 
" ad vn. Idus Decembris." Pliny 
differs from all these writers, and 
says it is sown in the spring : iC Vere 
" linum, et avenam, et papaver;" 
and in another place, " Vere satum 
" aestate vellitur." The time of 
sowing flax with us is in March. 

Cereale papaver. ~] I have spoken 
of poppies at large, in the note on 
ver. 78. Pliny speaks of sowing 
them in the spring, as we have 
seen in the preceding note. Co- 
lumella agrees with Virgil : "* Chss- 
" rephyllum, itemque olu's atriplicis, 
" quod Graeci vocant <kT£u<pot%iv, circa 
u Calendas Octobris obrui oportet 
" non frigidissimo loco. Nam si 
" regio ssevas hyemes habet, post 
" Idus Februarias semihe disserenda 
e< sunt, suaque de sede partienda. 
" Papaver et anethum eandem ha- 
" bent conditionem sationis, quam 
u chasrephyllum et u.r^a.%t<;." Pal- 
ladius says the time of sowing pop- 
pies is in September : " Nunc pa- 
" paver seritur locis siccis, et calidis: 
" potest et cum aliis oleribus semi- 
" nari." 

Many are the reasons assigned by 
the commentators for the epithet ce- 
reale being added to Papaver. Ser- 
vius assigns the following reasons : 
either because it is eaten like corn ; 
or because Ceres made use of pop- 
pies to forget her grief, and was 
thrown thereby into a sleep, when 
she had watched a long time on 
account of the rape of Proserpine ; 
or because Mycon the Athenian, 
who was beloved by Ceres, was 
transformed into a poppy; or be- 
cause it was sprinkled upon bread. 
La Cerda quotes the authority of 
Eusebius, in his third book de Free* 



48 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



yotrS^g! 7 t0 begin Tempus humo tegere, et jamdudum incumbere 



rastns, 



213 



paratione Evangelica, that Ceres was 
accounted the inventress of poppies. 
Ruaeus has the same quotation : but 
I fear he took it implicitly from La 
Cerda. I wish these commentators 
had given us the words of Eusebius: 
for I cannot find any passage in that 
author, which agrees with what they 
have said. I find, in the third book 
of Eusebius, a quotation from Por- 
phyry, where he says the statues of 
Ceres are adorned with ears of corn, 
and that poppies are added, as a sym- 
bol of fruitfulness : Ato kcci xetrwrflcu 

TO £§gT#$ uvtHs t«% rdxvw, yJ,K6j/-g T£ 
■zregi uvrijv t?s ■zroXvyovio&s cvfcQcXov. La 
Cerda gives another reason: that 
Ceres relieved her hunger with pop- 
pies, as appears from the fourth 
book of Ovid's Fasti. We are there 
told, that, when Celeus invited Ceres 
to refresh herself in his cottage, his 
little boy was sick, and could get 
no rest ; upon which Ceres gathered 
some poppies, to cure him, and tast- 
ed them herself unawares. She de- 
clined eating with Celeus, and gave 
the poppies to the boy with warm 
milk: 

Dux comiti narrat, quam sit sibi filius 
aeger; 
Nee capiat somnos, invigiletque malis. 
Ilia soporiferum, parvos initura penates, 

Colligit agresti lene papaver humo. 
Dum legit ; oblito fertur gustasse palato, 
Longamque imprudens exoluisse fa- 
mem. 

Mox epulas ponunt, liquefacta coagula 

lacte, 
Pomaque, et in teneris aurea raella 

favis. 
Abstinet alma Ceres, somnique papavera 



Dat tibi cum tepido lacte bibenda puer. 

La Cerda quotes Brodaeus for an- 
other reason: that poppies were sown 
amongst the corn, for the sacrifices 



of Ceres. Again he quotes Brodaeus, 
and also Turnebus, who observe that 
the statues of that goddess are fre- 
quently adorned with poppies. Last- 
ly, he quotes a reason assigned by 
Mancinellus, that there is a sort of 
poppy called £«Aos*?t<$, of which a 
wholesome sort of bread may be 
made. The reason assigned by 
Probus, because poppies are com- 
mon amongst the corn which is 
under the protection of Ceres, 
cannot be right ; because the poppy 
heads, which are so common on the 
statues of Ceres, plainly belong to 
the cultivated sort, not to that which 
grows amongst *he corn. Ruaeus 
thinks the best reason is because it 
appears from Pliny, that the seeds 
of white poppies were frequently 
eaten by the ancients : " Vel potius, 
" quia papaver i s candidi semen tostum 
" in secunda mensa cum melle apud 
" antiquos dabatur, et panis rusiici 
" crusta eo inspergebatur, juxta Plin. 
" lib. xix. 8. idque ad delicias et 
" famem excitandam : unde vescum 
"papaver, id est, edule dicitur G. 
" iv. 131." This indeed shews why 
our poet called the poppy vescum 
papaver: but I think it does not 
seem to explain the epithet Cereale, 
This is certain that poppies were 
consecrated by the ancients to Ceres, 
and that most of her statues are 
adorned with them. 

213. Bastris.] So I find it in the 
King's, the Bodleian, and both the 
Arundelian manuscripts. Pierius 
found the same reading in the Me- 
dicean, and several other ancient 
copies. Servius, Heinsius, and most 
of the editors, read aratris. Virgil 
had already spoken of ploughing 
the ground, and sowing barley, flax, 
and poppies. It is not probable 
therefore that he should conclude 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



49 



Dum sicca tellure licet, dum nubila pendent. 
Vere fabis satio : turn te quoque, Medica, pu- 

215 



trcs 



whilst the dry ground gives 
you leave, and the clouds yet 
hang over. Spring is the time 
for sowing beans : and thee 
also, O Medick, the rotten 



with a repetition of ploughing. But 
the sense is very clear, if, according 
to these ancient manuscripts, we 
understand him to speak of harrow- 
ing. Mr. B — has translated him 
in this sense : 

Nor should the harrow's labour ever end, 
Whilst dry the glebe, whilst clouds as 
yet impend. 

Dr. Trapp also in his note upon this 
passage says rastris is much better 
than arairis. 

214. Dum sjeca tellure licet, dum 
nubila pendent.) Ruaeus differs from 
the rest of the commentators, in his 
interpretation of this verse. He 
thinks that the poet does not mean, 
that this is to be done before the 
rainy season begins, but that those 
days are to be chosen, which prove 
dry and fair. " Plerique post Ser- 
' ' vium, interpretantur : antequam 
" pluat, dum imber imminet, nec- 
<c dum venit pluviosa tempestas. 
" Ego sic : quoties, in ilia ipsa plu- 
" viosa tempestate, terra erit paulo 
" siccior, et imber suspensus. Et 
<s vero poeta sationem illam assignat 
" Autumno, cujus ultima pars plu- 
cc viosa est : eandemque sationem 
<e profert usque sub extremum brumce 
11 imbrem : non igitur jubet praeve- 
" niri tempestatem imbriferam ; sed 
" iLius tempestatis eoseligi dies qui 
u sicci magis ac sereni erunt." 

Several of the old printed editions 
have jacet instead of licet. 

215. Vere fabis satio.] I do not 
find any of the ancient writers of 
agriculture to agree with Virgil 
about the time of sowing beans. 
Varro says they are sown about the 
latter end of October : " Fabam op- 
" time seri in vergiliarum occasu." 



Columella says it is not right to 
sow them after the winter solstice ; 
but that the worst time of all is in 
the spring : " Post brumam parum 
" recte seritur, pessime vere, quam- 
" vis sit etiam trimestris faba, quae 
" mense Februario seratur ; quinta 
" parte amplius, quam matura, sed 
" exiguas paleas, nee multam sili- 
" quam facit." Palladius says beans 
are sown at the beginning of No- 
vember : " In hujus principio fabam 
" spargimus/' Pliny mentions their 
being sown in October: " Seritur 
" ante vergiliarum occasum, legu- 
lC minum prima, ut antecedat hye- r 
" mem." But Pliny's words, which 
follow immediately, shew that, in 
Virgil's own country, beans were 
sown in the spring : " Virgilius earn 
" per ver seri jubet, circumpadanae 
iC Italiae ritu." We find by this pas- 
sage, that those, who lived near the 
Po, did not always sow at the same 
time with the rest of Italy. Hence 
it is no wonder, if we do not always 
find an exact agreement between 
our poet, and the other Latin 
writers. 

Medica.] This plant has its name 
from Media, because it was brought 
from that country into Greece, at 
the time of the Persian war, under 
Darius, according to Pliny : " Me- 
" dica externa, etiam Graeciae, ut a 
" Medis advecta per bell a Persa- 
" rum, quae Darius intulit." It is of 
late years brought to us from France 
and Switzerland, and sown to good 
advantage under the name of Lu- 
cern. Ray affirms, that the Lucern 
or Luzerne of the French is the 
Onobrychis, known to us under the 
name of Saint-Foin, or, as it is cor- 
ruptly called, Cinquefoil: and that 



50 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



q^Ses r a e nlMutf caSf let *" Accipiunt sulci ; et milio venit annua cura : 



the Medica is called by the French 
Saint-foin, Foin de Burgogne, and 
grand Treffle. Hence, he observes, 
appears the mistake of our seeds- 
men and farmers, who sow the 
Onobrychis, instead of the Medica, 
under the name of Saint-foin. But 
I suspect that learned author was 
misinformed, because Tournefort 
has given Luserne for the French 
name of Medica, and Saint-foin for 
that of Onobrychis. The names 
by which our English botanists 
have called the Medica, are Bur- 
gundy Trefoil, and Medick fodder. 
Pliny says it is sown in May; 
but Palladius says the season is in 
April : " Aprili mense in areis, quas 
" ante, sicut diximus, prasparasti, 
" Medica serenda est." The best 
manner of cultivating this useful 
plant in England is described at 
large by Mr. Miller, in his Garden- 
er s Dictionary, under the article of 
Medica. 

Putres sulci.~\ Putris signifies rot- 
ten or crumbling. Thus we find, 
near the beginning of this Georgick, 
j)ut?'is used to express the melting 
or crumbling of the earth upon a 
thaw: 

Vere novo, gelidus canis cum raontibus 

humor 
Liquitur,tet zephyro putris se gleba re- 

solvit. 

In the second Georgick, it is used to 
express a loose crumbling soil, such 
as we render the earth by ploughing: 

Etcui putre solum, namque hoc imitamur 
arando. 

Perhaps Virgil may mean, in this 
place, a soil that has been well 
dunged. Columella says the ground 
must first be ploughed in October, 
and suffered to rot all the winter, and 
dunged in the spring : ' e Locum in 
" quo Medicam proximo vere satu- 



" rus es, proscindito circa calendas 
" Octobris, et eum tota hyeme pu- 
" trescere sinito — Postea circa Mar- 
" tium mensem tertiato, et occato. — 
fe Deinde vetus stercus injicito." In 
another place he says pinguis andjpw- 
tris are the same : " Idem pinguis ac 
•' putris." And we find the ancients 
to agree, that the ground was to be 
dunged for sowing Medick. Pliny 
says the ground must be well la- 
boured in autumn and dunged: 
" Solum, in quo seratur, elapidatum 
" purgatumque subigitur autumno : 
" mox aratum et occatum integitur 
" crate iterum et tertium, quinis die- 
" bus interpositis, et fimo addito." 
Palladius agrees with Pliny, except 
with regard to the time of preparing 
the ground, which he says is in Fe- 
bruary : " Nunc ager, qui acceptu- 
" rus est Medicam, de cujus natura, 
" cum erit serenda, dicemus, iteran- 
" dus est, et, purgatis lapidibus, di- 
" ligenter occandus. Et circa Mar- 
" tias Calendas, subacto sicut in hor- 
" tis solo, formandae sunt areas lata? 
" pedibus decern, longae pedibus 
" quinquaginta, ita ut eis aqua mi- 
" nistretur, et facile possint ex utra- 
" que parte runcari. Tunc injecto 
" antiquo stercore in Aprilem men- 
" sem reserventur paratae." With 
us a loose sandy soil seems to agree 
very well with it. 

216. Milio venit annua cura.'] This 
expression of the annual care of mil- 
let is used by the poet to shew that 
the Medick lasts many years, Pliny 
says it lasts thirty : u Tanta dos 
" ejus est, cum uno satu amplius 
" quam tricenis annis duret." Co- 
lumella and Palladius says it lasts 
ten: "Eximia," says Columella, "est 
ee herba medica, quod cum semel se- 
ee ritur, decern aimis durat." The 
words of Palladius are, " Quae semel 
" seritur, decern annis permajiet." 



GEORG. LIB. I. 51 

Candidus auratis aperit cum cornibus annum ^&Bg3gtB^ 



Seneca, in his eighty-sixth Epistle, 
reproves our poet, for placing the 
time of sowing beans, medick, and 
millet in the same season, and says 
he saw the farmers gathering beans 
and sowing millet about the latter 
end of June. Hence he takes oc- 
casion to observe, that Virgil does 
not confine himself to truth, but 
only endeavours to divert his read- 
ers : " Virgilius noster non quid 
" verissime, sed quid decentissime, 
u diceretur, adspexit ; nee agricolas 
" docere voluit, sed legentes delec- 
" tare. Nam, ut omnia alia trans- 
" feram,hoc quodhodie mihi necesse 
" fuit reprehendere, ascribam : 

" V ere falls satio est: tunc te quoque Me- 

dica putres 
" Accipiunt sulci, et millo venit annua cura. 

" An uno tempore ista ponenda sint: 
' ' et an utriusque verna sit satio, hinc 
" aestimes licet. Junius mensis est 
" quo tibi scribo, jam proclivus in 
" Julium. Eodem die vidi fabam 
" metentes, milium serentes." But 
Virgil does not say that beans and 
millet are sown precisely at the same 
time. He says that beans are sown 
in the spring, that is; in February or 
March, and that millet is sown 
when the sun enters Taurus, that is, 
about the seventeenth of April, and 
when the dog sets, that is, about the 
end of the same month. This agrees 
with what other authors have said. 
Pliny says, millet is sown before 
the rising of the Pleiades, that is, 
according to Columella, before the 
seventh of May : ' ' Frumenti ipsius 
" totidem genera per tempora satu 
" divisa. Hyberna, quae circa ver- 
" giliarum occasum sata terra per 
" hyemem nutriuntur, ut triticum, 
" far, hordeum. iEstiva, quae sestate 
" ante vergiliarum exortum serun- 
" tur, ut milium." Palladius says, 



that in warm and dry countries, 
millet is sown in March : " Calidis 
" et siccis regionibus panicum sere- 
" mus, et milium ;" but that in cold 
and wet places it is sown in May : 
" Maio mense, locis frigidis, et 
" humectis, panicum seremus, et 
" milium." 

217. Candidus auratis aperit cum 
cornibus annum Taurus.] By the 
bull's opening the year, Virgil means 
the sun's entering into Taurus; 
which, according to Columella, is 
on the seventeenth of April : " De- 
" cimo quinto calendas Maias sol 
" in Taurum transitum facit.'' April 
is said to have its name ab aperiendo, 
whence the poet uses the expression 
aperire annum. Servius thinks this 
passage is not to be rendered the 
bull opens the year with his golden 
horns, but the bull with golden horns 
opens the year ; because the bull 
does not rise with his horns, but 
with his back. La Cerda adheres 
to the former interpretation, and 
supports it with the authority of 
Manilius, who uses an expression 
something like it, of the bull's bear- 
ing the sun upon his horns. This 
poet speaks also of that sign's be- 
ginning the labours of the plough- 
man: as this seems to have some 
relation to what Virgil has said, I 
shall set down the whole passage : 

Taurus simplicibus donavit rura colonis : 
Pacatisque labor veniet, patientia laudis, 
Sed terrae tribuet partus: summittit 

aratris 
Colla, jugumque suis poscit cervicibus 

ipse. 
Ille suis Phoebi portat cum cornibus 

orbem, 
Militiam indicit terris, et segnia rura 
In veteres revocat cultus dux ipse 

laboris, 
Nee jacet in sulcis solvitque in pulvero 

pectus. 
Seranos Curiosque tulit, facilesque per 

arva 
H 2 



52 P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

to^h^fefd;|n? nsway Taurus, et averso ceclens Canis occidit astro. 



Tradidit, eque suo dictator venit aratro. 
Laudis amor, tacitas mentes, et corpora 

tarda 
Mole valent, habitatque puer sub fronte 

cupido. 

218. Averso cede/is canis occidit 
astro.~\ Servius says some read aver- 
so, others adverso. Pierius says it 
is adverso in the Roman and Lom- 
bard manuscripts; but averso in 
ethers. In the Medicean, he says, it 
is averso incedens. The King's, both 
Dr. Mead's, and one of the Arunde- 
lian manuscripts have adverso. The 
other Arundelian and the Cam- 
bridge manuscript have averso. 
The Bodleian has verso. La Cerda 
and several of the old editors read 
adverso. Heinsius, Ruaeus, and 
many others prefer averso. The 
commentators are greatly divided 
about the meaning of this passage. 
Servius interprets it two different 
ways : if we admit adverso, it is to 
be rendered the dog with the adverse 
constellation, because with the dog 
arises Sirius, who is adverse, or in- 
jurious to mankind; if we admit 
averso, cum must be understood, 
and the sense will be, when the dog 
giving place sets with the backward 
sign, that is, the ship, which rises 
backwards. Grimoaldus seems to 
understand it to mean that the dog 
is obscured by the sun when he en- 
ters Taurus : " Cum canis in scor- 
" pione constitutus propter tauri so- 
" lem tenentis vicinitatem occulitur 
f< et obscuratur." According to 
this interpretation, the sun must be 
the adversum astrum. La Cerda 
seems to adhere to the first inter- 
pretation of Servius : " Cum canis 
" heliace occidit, qui habet astrum 
" adversum contrariumque morta- 
" libus." Ruaeus, according to Ser- 
vius" s second interpretation, takes 
the ship to be the aver sum astrum : 



but instead of understanding cum, 
with Servius, he takes averso astro 
to be the dative case, governed of 
cedeyis. Thus the sense will be, the 
dog sets, giving place to the backward 
sign, or ship. I rather believe, that 
Virgil meant the bull by the aver sum 
astrum : for that constellation is 
known to rise backwards. Thus 
Manilius : 

Aversus venit in caelum. 

It seems more natural to suppose 
that Virgil should mean the bull, 
which he had just mentioned, than 
the ship, which he has not once 
named in the whole poem. Dry den 
translates this passage : 

When with the golden horns, in full 

career, 
The bull beats down the barriers of the 

year ; 
And Argos and the Dog forsake ths 

northern sphere. 

Mr. B — 's translation is reconcil- 
able with the sense which I have 
proposed : 

When with his horns the bull unbars the 

year ; 
And frighten'd flies the dog, and shuns 

the adverse star. 

Dr. Trapp has followed Ruaeus : 

When now with golden horns 

The shining bull unlocks the op'ning 

year, 
And, setting, to the ship the dog gives 

way. 

The sun enters Taurus, according 
to Columella, on the seventeenth of 
April, as I observed at the begin- 
ning of this note. According to 
the same author, the dog sets with 
the sun on the last day of the same 
month: " Pridie calendas Maias 
e •' canis se vespere celat." Pliny says, 
that, according to the Boeotians and 
Athenians, it is on the twenty- sixth 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



53 



At si triticeam in messem, robustaque farra fwa" Jh«t w £^2£ S3 U ^ 

Exercebis humum, solisque instabis aristis : 220 for° n fhe pe bearded earJ, 01 ^ 

the morning Pleiades first be 

Ante tibi Eoag Atlantides abscondantur, hidden, 



of April; but, according to the Assy- 
rians, on the twenty-ninth : " Sexto 
" calendas Maii Boeotiae et Atticae 
<e canis vesperi occultatur, fidicula 
" mane oritur : quinto calendas As- 
te syriae Orion totus absconditur, 
i( tertio autem canis." 

219. Triticeam in messem 7\ The 
triticum of the ancients was not our 
common or lammas wheat, but a 
bearded sort. Hence arista, which 
signifies the beard, is often used by 
the poets for wheat: but it would 
be too violent a figure to put the 
beard for corn, which has no beard 
at all. Cicero, in his Cato major, 
speaking of the pleasures of hus- 
bandmen, gives a beautiful descrip- 
tion of the growth of corn, and 
mentions the beard as a palisade, 
to defend the grain : " Me quidem 
" non fructus modo, sed etiam ip- 
" sius terrse vis, ac natura delectat : 
" quae cum gremio mollito ac 
u subacto semen sparsum accepit : 
(< primum occaecatum cohibet : ex 
" quo occatio, quae hoc emcit, no- 
' e minata est : deinde tepefactum va- 
" pore, et complexu suo, difFundit, 
" et elicit herbescentem ex eo viri- 
c ' ditatem : quae nixa fibris stirpium, 
<e sensim adolescit, culmoque erecta 
cc geniculato, vaginis jam quasi pu- 
ff bescens includitur, e quibus cum 
Ct emerserit, fundit frugem, spicae 
" ordine structam, et contra avium 
" minorum morsum munitur vallo 
ce aristarum." I shall add another 
proof, that the triticum was bearded: 
all the statues and medals of Ceres, 
that ever I saw, have no other corn 
represented on them than that which 
is bearded. 

Farra.~\ See the note on Farra, 
vet 73. 



220. Aristis.] Arista is the beard 
of corn: " Spica ea, quae mutilata 
" non est, in ordeo et tritico, tria 
u habet continentia, granum, glu- 
" mam, aristam : et etiam primitus 
" cum spica oritur, vaginam. Gra- 
" num dictum quod est intimum 
" solidum : gluma, qui est follicu- 
(c lus ejus : arista, quae, ut acus te- 
" nuis, longa eminet e gluma ; pro- 
" inde ut grani theca sit gluma, 

" apex arista. Arista dicta quod 

<c arescit prima." Varro de Re. Rust. 
lib. i. cap. 48. 

221. Eoce Atlantides abscondantur.] 
Atlas had seven daughters by Plei- 
one. Their names, according to 
Aratus, are Alcyone, Merope, Ce- 
laeno, Electra, Sterope, Taygete, and 
Maia; 

'AXkvov/j, Mtgovnrt, KiXatveo <r , 'HXs*- 

Kai TErzgovrk, xat Tvi'vy'iryi, xai zfforvttc, 
Ma7a. 

See the note on ver. 138. 

By the epithet Eoce, Virgil does 
not mean setting in the east, as some 
have imagined, but in the morning, 
at sun rising : that is, when the 
Pleiades go down below our western 
horizon, at the same time that the 
sun rises above our eastern horizon. 
Hesiod, according to Pliny, com- 
puted this to be at the autumnal 
equinox; Thales, twenty-five days 
after; Anaximander, twenty-nine; 
and Euctemon, forty -eight : " Occa- 
" sum matutinum vergiliarum He- 
" siodus, nam hujus quoque nomine 
ec extat Astrologia, tradidit fieri, 
" cum aequinoctium autumni con- 
cc ficeretur, Thales xxv die ab aequi- 
" noctio, Anaximander xxix, Euc- 
" temon xlviii." Columella, in the 
second chapter of his eleventh book, 



5* P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

&i!£&£5EZZ£L* Gnosiaque ardentis decedat Stella coronse, 



says they begin to set at sun-rising 
on the 21st of October : (e Duode- 
ic cimo calendas Novenrbris sol is 
" exortu vergiliae incipiunt occi- 
" dere." In the eighth chapter of his 
second book, he comments on this 
very passage of Virgil. He there 
says the Pleiades set on the thirty- 
first day after the autumnal equinox, 
which happens on the twenty -third 
of September : wherefore the time 
of sowing wheat must be understood 
to be six and forty days from the 
setting of the Pleiades, which is be- 
fore the twenty-fourth of October, 
to the time of the winter solstice. 
(i Absconduntur autem altero et 
" trigesimo die post autumnale se- 
u quinoctium, quod fere conficitur 
" nono calendas Octobris, propter 
" quod intelligi debet tritici satio 
" dierum sex, et quadraginta ab oc- 
" casu vergiliarum, qui fit ante 
" diem nonam calendarum Novem- 
" bris, ad brumas tempora." I be- 
lieve instead of ante diem nonam, we 
should read ad diem nonam; for the 
ninth of the calends of November, 
which is the twenty-fourth of Octo- 
ber, is exactly one and thirty days 
after the time which Columella 
fixes for the autumnal equinox : and 
from the twenty-fourth of October, 
there are just six and forty days to 
the twenty-fourth of December, 
which he reckons to be the winter 
solstice : " Nono calendas Januarii 
" brumale solstitium, sicut Chaldaei 
" observant." According to Pliny, 
the winter solstice is December the 
twenty-fifth. 

222. Gnosiaque ardentis decedat 
stella coronoe.~\ Gnosus is a city of 
Crete, where Minos reigned, the fa- 
ther of Ariadne, who was carried 
away by Theseus, and afterwards 
deserted by him in the island of 
Naxos, where Bacchus fell in love 



with her and married her. At the 
celebration of their nuptials, all the 
gods made presents to the bride ; 
and Venus gave her a crown, which 
Bacchus translated into the heavens, 
and made a constellation. One of 
the stars of this constellation is 
brighter than the rest, and rises be- 
fore the whole constellation appears. 
Thus Columella reckons the bright 
star to rise on the eighth of October, 
and the whole constellation on the 
thirteenth or fourteenth : " Octavo 
" idus Octobris coronse clara stella 
" exoritur. — Tertio et pridie idus 
" Octobris corona tota mane exo- 
>" ritur." Pliny tells us, that, accord- 
ing to Caesar, the bright star rises 
on the eighth of October, and the 
whole constellation on the fifteenth; 
" Octavo idus Octobris Csesari ful- 

" gens in corona stella oritur. 

" Idibus corona tota." Aratus men- 
tions the crown of Ariadne being 
placed in the heavens by Bacchus : 

• Abrou xaKtTves, f'sQavos, rov ayxvos eSyxs 
lyifA iftzvai Atovutriros, uToixopivm 'A^/- 

«5V»JJ, 

Hutai ifros(nq)i<Ta.i x.ix.fjcnx'o'roz itbu/kota 
Hair co f&iv ?i<pavos srikan. 

Manilius has mentioned the superior 
brightness of one of these stars. 

At parte ex alia claro volat orbe corona 
Luce micans varia, nam stella vincitur 

una 
Circulus in medio radians, quag proxima j 

fronte 
Candidaque ardenti distinguit lumina [ 

flam ma 
Gnosia desertae fulgent monumenta 

puellas. 

I have translated decedat, emerge, be- 
cause the commentators agree, that 
Virgil means by that word the helia- . 
cal rising of the crown ; that is, -when 
the constellation, which before had 
been obscured by the superior light 
of the sun, begins to depart from it. 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



55 



Debita quam sulcis committas semina, quamque I^JSe faSSS.Mdtt 

T . j fore you hasten to trust the 

Invitae properes anni spem credere terra?. 
Multi ante occasum Maiae ccepere : sed illos 
Expectata seges vanis elusit aristis. 226* 



hope of the year to the un- 
willing earth. Many have be- 
gun before the setting of 
Maia : but the expected crop 
hasdeceived them with empty 
ears. 



and to appear in the eastern horizon 
before sun rising. I must own I 
have some doubt about this inter- 
pretation ; because Virgil never uses 
decedere, when applied to the sun, 
but for the setting of it. In the 
first Eclogue we find, 

Et sol crescentes decedcns duplicat um- 
bras : 

in this Georgick, 

Emenso cum jam decedet Olympo : 

and in the fourth Georgick, 
Te veniente die, te decedentc canebat. 

Therefore as decedere does signify 
to set, the poet should rather seem 
to mean the heliacal setting of the 
constellation, than the heliacal rising 
of it. Pliny would have the helia- 
cal rising to be called emersion, and 
the heliacal setting to be called oc- 
cupation : " Aut enim adventu solis 
" occultantur stellae et conspici de- 
" sinunt, aut ejusdem abscessu pro- 
" ferunt se. Emersum hoc melius 
" quam exortum consuetudo dix- 
11 isset: et illud occultationem potius 
" quam occasum." One of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts has descendal 
instead of decedat, which is mani- 
festly wrong. Dryden however has 
translated it in that sense : 

And the bright Gnossian diadem down- 
ward bend. 

Mr. B — has criticised on this line 
of Dryden, and seems to understand 
the poet to mean the heliacal setting 
of the crown : " Mr. Dryden in this 
" place, and in many others here- 
" after, discovers his little know- 
<€ ledge of the lowest degree of 



" astronomy. Ariadne's crown does 
" not bend downward, at the time 
" Virgil mentions, but rises with 
" the sun ; and as the sun's great 
" light soon makes that star imper- 
" ceptible, this Virgil very poeti- 
" cally describes by 

" Gnossiaque ardentis decedat stella corona?" 

But this learned Gentleman, in his 
translation of this very passage, has 
represented the poet as speaking of 
the heliacal rising : 

First let the sisters in the morn go down, 
And from the sun retire the Gnossian 
crown. 

225. Ante occasum Maice.] Maia 
is one of the Pleiades : the poet puts 
a part for the whole. He speaks 
here against sowing too early : and 
we are informed by Columella, that 
it was an old proverb amongst the 
fanners, that an early sowing often 
deceives our expectation, but seldom 
a late one : " Vetus est agricolarum 
" proverbium, maturam sationem 
" saepe decipere solere, seram nun- 
" quam, quin mala sit." 

226. Aristis.] See the notes on 
ver. 219 and 220. The King's, the 
Bodleian, one of the Arundelian, and 
both Dr. Mead's manuscripts have 
avenis. The other Arundelian, and 
the Cambridge manuscript have 
acervis. Pierius says the Roman 
manuscript has illusit aristis, and 
some others elusit aristis. But he 
prefers avenis, as it is in the Medi- 
cean copy, because avena is a de- 
generacy of corn. Heinsius reads 
aristis : which I take to be the true 
reading : because I do not find that 
anv ancient writer has ascribed the 



56 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



^4^^Tn U SdSy-btS Si vero viciamque seres, vilemque faselum, 

and do not despise the care of XT ^ 1 1 1 • 

the Egyptian lentil, the set- JNec Jrelusiacae curam aspernabere lentis; 

ting of Bootes will give you 

no obscure direction. Haud obscura cadens mittet tibi signa Bootes. 



growth of wild oats to the early 
sowing of corn. Besides vanis 
avenis, sounds too like a jingle to 
agree with the style of Virgil. It 
must be confessed however, that 
there is a passage in Tibullus, some- 
thing like this, which seems to coun- 
tenance the reading of avenis : 

Neu seges eludat messem fallacibus 
herbis. 

227. Vilem faselum."] The kidney- 
beans are said to have been very 
common among the Romans : and 
therefore the poet is thought to have 
given them the epithet of vile, 
mean, or common. He might use 
this epithet perhaps, because they 
might be sown in any sort of soil ; 
as Pliny tells us. This author tells 
us also, that the Homans eat the . 
seeds in the shells, as we do now : 

" Siliquae faseolorum cum ipsis 

" manduntur granis. Serere eos 
" qua velis terra licet ab idibus 
" Octobris in calendas Novembris." 

228. Pelusiacce lentis.~\ Pelusium 
is a town of Egypt, which gives 
name to one of the seven mouths of 
the Nile. He calls the lentil Pe- 
lusian, or Egyptian, because the 
best are said to grow in that coun- 
try. 

229« Bootes."} This is a northern 
constellation, near the tail of the 
Great Bear. Arcturus, as has been 
already observed, is a part of this 
constellation. Thus Aratus : 

'E|»<r<$£v 3' zXizyis (pi^trai Ikciavri ioixu; 
'AgxroQuXaZ,, rov f ecvdots Iwutkitoutri Boarr,v, 

aifrif 

a,fr,o. 



The time of the setting of Arcturus, 
according to Columella, is on the 
twenty-ninth of October : " Quarto 
" calendas Novembris Arcturus ves- 
" pere occidit." Let us see now how 
far the other ancient writers agree 
with our poet. As for vetches or 
tares, Columella mentions two times 
of sowing them ; the first for fodder, 
about the time of the autumnal equi- 
nox ; the second for seed, about Ja- 
nuary : " Vicise autem duae sationes 
" sunt. Prima quani pabuli causa 
" circa aequinoctium autumnale se- 
" rimus, septem modios ejus in 
" unum jugerum. Secunda quse sex 
" modios, mense Januario, vel etiam 
" seriusjacimus, semini progeneran- 
" do." The first of these times is 
about a month sooner than the acro- 
nical setting of Arcturus ; that is, 
when Arcturus sets with the sun. 
The second time Virgil has express- 
ed, by advising the sowing time to 
be extended to the middle of the 
frost. The middle of winter, ac- 
cording to Columella, is on the 
fourth of January : " Pridie nonas 
" Januarii media hyems/' Pliny 
mentions three seasons: the first 
about the setting of Arcturus, when 
they are designed for seed : the se- 
cond in January: the third in 
March, for fodder: " Sationis ejus 
<e tria tempora : circa occasum Arc- 
c< turi, ut Decembri mense pascat, 
" tunc optime seritur in semen. 
" Secunda satio mense Januario est : 
" novissima Martio, turn ad frondem 
" utilissima." The first of these 
times is the same with that which 
Virgil mentions. The second agrees 
with Columella. The third seems 
not to have been mentioned by the 
poet: unless we may suppose that by 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



57 



ng 
frosts. 



Incipe, et ad medias sementem extende pruinas. ? n f tL^to^mJd 
Idcirco certis dimensum partibus orbem 231 
Per duodena regit mundi Sol aureus astra. 



our sow- 
die of the 
For this purpose the 



irpos 
the i 



golden sun governs 
the world divided ir.._ 
parts, through twelve constel- 
lations. 



orb of 
into certain 



the setting of Bootes, he designed to 
express both the acronical and the 
cosmical setting of Arcturus. The 
cosmical setting, that is, the setting 
at sun-rising, of Arcturus then hap- 
pened in March. Palladius follows 
Columella: for he mentions Sep- 
tember as the first time of sowing : 
cc nunc viciae prima satio est, et fseni 
" graeci cum pabuli causa seruntur :" 
and January, as the other time : 
" hoc mense ultimo, colligendi se- 
" minis causa, non pabuli secandi, 
" vicia seritur." As for kidney 
beans, I think, Palladius alone has 
mentioned the time of sowing them, 
which he settles to be from the be- 
ginning to the middle of October, 
which is about a fortnight sooner 
than the time prescribed by Virgil : 
" Seremus sisamum usque ad idus 
" Octobres, et faselum." As for 
lentils, they all agree that November 
is the time; only Columella adds, 
that there is a second season in Fe- 
bruary : " Sationes ejus duas serva- 
" mus, alteram maturam per mediam 
" sementim, seriorem alteram mense 
" Februario." Pliny's words are, 
'* Ex leguminibus autem Novembri 
' ' seruntur lens, et in Graecia pisum." 
Palladius, under the month of No- 
vember, says, " Nunc seritur prima 
u lenticula." 

230.] After this line, in one of 
the Ar undelian manuscripts is added, 

Tempus liumo tegcre, et jamdudum in- 
cumbere aratris. 

which is a repetition of ver. 213. It 
is observable, that this very manu- 
script, in the proper place of this 
verse, has rastris instead of aratris. 
231. Idcirco, fyc.~\ In these lines 
the poet, having, in honour of agri- 



culture, supposed the sun to make 
his annual journey, for the sake of 
that art, takes occasion to describe 
the five Zones, the Zodiac, the 
Northern Pole, and the Antipodes, 
in a most beautiful and poetical 
manner. 

232. Mundi.~\ The commentators 
are much divided about the inter- 
pretation of this passage. The most 
general opinion is that mundi follows 
astra ; which makes the sense to be 
this : the sun governs the earth through 
twelve constellations of the world. 

Mr. B contends that mundi 

should follow Sol; and so renders 
it the golden sun of the world. " Id- 
cc circo," says he, <c sol aureus mundi 
" (as in the beginning of this book, 
" clarissima mundi lumina) regit 
" orbem [suum] dimensum certis 
u partibus, per duodena astra/' 
Thus, according to Mr. B or- 
bem signifies the course of the sun ; 
according to the general opinion, it 
is the globe of the earth. RuaBus 
places mundi after astra, in his in- 
terpretation : Dr. Trapp says, " it 
" may relate either to orbem or astra; 
" rather to the latter." I believe 
we must read orbem mundi, and 
understand it of the turning round 
of the heavens. We have those 
words used in this sense in Ma- 
nilius : 



-Nunc sidera ducit, 



Et rapit immensum mundi revolubilis 
orbem. 

According to the ancient philosophy, 
the earth is placed in the centre of 
the world, and the heavens turn 
round it once in four and twenty 
hours. Thus Pliny: " Formam 
" ejus in speciem orbis absoluti glo- 
i 



58 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



Sl^SwKS 4 i8 tl S^ Quinque tenent caelum Zonae: quarum una 



red with the bright sun, and 
always glowing with fire : 



corusco 



Semper sole rubens, et torrida semper ab igni : 



" batam esse, nomen in primis et 
(C consensus in eo mortalium, orbem 
ec appellantium, sed et argumenta 
iC rerum docent . . . Hanc ergo for- 
<c mam ejus, aeterno et irrequieto 
" ambitu inenarrabili celeritate, vi~ 
cc ginti quatuor horarum spatio cir- 
" cumagi solis exortus et occasus 
" haud dubium reliquere . . . Nee de 
(i elementis video dubitari, quatuor 
" ea esse. Ignium summum, inde 
" tot stellarum collucentium illos 
" oculos. Proximum spiritus, quam 
u Graeci nostrique eodem voeabulo 
f< aera appellant. Vitalem hunc, et 
" per cuncta rerum meabilem, toto- 
C( que consertum : hujus vi suspen- 
<f sam, cum quarto aquarum ele- 
" mento, librari medio spatio tel- 
" lurem . . . Inter hanc caelumque, eo- 
tC dem spiritu pendent, certis dis- 
" creta spatiis, septem sidera, quae 
e ' ab incessu vocamus errantia, quum 
" errent nulla minus illis : eorum 
ce medius Solfertur amplissima mag- 
ei nitudine ac potestate : nee tempo- 
e( rum modo terrarumque, sed side- 
1 ' rum etiam ipsorum caelique rector. 
" Hunc mundi esse totius animum, 
<c ac planius mentem, hunc princi- 
" pale naturae regimen ac numen cre- 
" dere decet opera ejus aestimantes." 
233. Quinque tenent caelum Zonce.] 
This description of the five zones is 
thought to be taken from Erato- 
sthenes. I shall set down his words 
as I find them quoted by Fulvius 
Ursinus, and la Cerda. 

Tlivri Ti. oi Z,uvat zst^iviy'ii$ Ittftigqvreti, 
At $uo ij.iv y~ku.vx.olo xikoavori^ai xuaveio. 
'H Vi ptct \]/a(px(>'/irs, xod Ix, zsvots elveu 

Tutf<rofLivvi (pkoy[/,o7ffiv, \<xu pa \f/,o7gu.v vx 

avrvtv 
KixXiftivot axr/vi? uuS-zgii; •stvg'ouo'tv. 
A< Tt It/o ixdriq^i zs'okoto 'srigiTi#yiyv7tiu 



Alii ngvpakiou, ecu I' vbavi [toy'iovo-ai, 

Ov fih uSwg, akk' aiiTos aw ovguvoSlv 

KobsaXkos 
Kurai a.vtt.<7tiax i i ■sfioi-^ vx.ro; Ti rirvKrai. 
'AXXa roc, p\v %tgo'u7a i xa.) aft&ccra, uvS-ooj- 

<7to7(nv 
Aoiou £' ukka.1 'laetv havrieu akk'/ikaiffiv 
Mtffo-nyvs B-igiog ri xou virion x-gvfeikkov. 

Under the torrid or burning zone 
lies that part of the earth, which is 
contained between the two tropics. 
This was thought by the ancients to 
be uninhabitable, because of the ex- 
cessive heat; but later discoveries 
have shewn it to be inhabited by 
many great nations. It contains a 
great part of Asia, Africa, and South 
America. Under the two frigid or 
cold zones lie those parts of the 
earth, which are included within 
the two polar circles, which are so 
cold, being at a great distance from 
the sun, as to be scarce habitable. 
Within the arctic circle, near the 
north pole, are contained Nova 
Zembla, Lapland, Greenland, &c. 
Within the antarctic circle, near the 
south pole, no land has yet been 
discovered : though the great quan- 
tities of ice found there make it pro- 
bable that there is more land near 
the north than the south pole. 
Under the two temperate zones are 
contained those parts of the globe, 
which lie between the tropics, and 
polar circles. The temperate zone, 
between the arctic circle and the tro- 
pic of Cancer, contains the greatest 
part of Europe and Asia, part of 
Africa, and almost all North Ame- 
rica. That between the antarctic 
circle and the tropic of Capricorn 
contains part of South America, or 
the Antipodes. 

234.] The old Nurenberg edition 
has est after igni. 





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GEORG. LIB. I. 



59 



Quam circum extremse dextra leevaque tra- 
huntur, 235 

Cserulea glacie concretae atque imbribus atris. 
Has inter mediamque duse mortalibus aegris 
Munere concessse divum. Via secta per ambas, 
Obliquus qua se signorum verteret ordo. 
Mundus ut ad Scythiam Riphaeasque arduus 
arces 240 



on each side of which to right 
and left two others are drawn, 
stiff with blue ice and dark 
showers. Between these and 
the middle zone two are 
granted to weak, mortals by 
the bounty of the gods. A 
path is cut between them for 
the oblique course of the signs 
to turn in. As the world is 
elevated at Scythia and the 
Riphaean hills, 



236. Ccerulea.'] Pierius says it is 
ccerulea?, in most of the ancient co- 
pies : and that it was cerulee in the 
Medicean copy, but had been altered 
to cerulea. One of the Arundelian 
manuscripts has ccerulece. If this 
reading be admitted, we must alter 
the pointing thus : 

Quam circum extremae, dextra laevaque 
trahuntur 

Caeruleae : glacie concretae atque imbri- 
bus atris. 

So glacie concretae atque imbribus 
atris must be understood as the 
cause that these zones are blue. 
Pierius farther observes, that some 
manuscripts have ccerulece et glacie; 
which reading, though he does not 
approve, yet he thinks it a con- 
firmation of ccerulea?. In the King's 
manuscript it is ccerulea et glacie. 

238. Munere concessce divUm. 
Via secta per ambas, obliquus qua se 
signorum verteret ordo] So I point 
this verse with Heinsius: most of 
the editors have a comma or a se- 
micolon after divum. Here the poet 
describes the zodiac, which is a 
broad belt spreading about five or 
six degrees on each side of the 
ecliptic line, and contains the twelve 
constellations or signs. They are 
Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, 
Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, 
Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces. The 
ecliptic line cuts the equinoctial ob- 
liquely in two opposite points, 



whence the poet calls the zodiac 
obliquus signorum ordo. It traverses 
the whole torrid zone, but neither 
of the temperate zones ; so that per 
ambas must mean between, not 
through them. Thus presently after, 
speaking of the Dragon, he says it 
twines per duas Arctos : now that 
constellation cannot be said to twine 
through the two Bears, but between 
them. The zodiac is the annual 
path of the sun, through each sign 
of which he passes in about the 
space of a month. He is said to be 
in one of those signs, when he ap- 
pears in that part of the heavens, 
where those stars are, of which the 
sign is composed. 

240. Mundus ut ad Scythiam, fyc] 
He speaks here of the two poles of 
the world. He says the north pole 
is elevated, because that only is visi- 
ble in these parts of the earth : and 
for the same reason he speaks of the 
south pole, as being depressed. 
These lines seem to be an imitation 
of Aratus : 

Kai fjuv 'srn^aivovffi ^vca rtt'koi ufitpor'sguSiv 
'AAA' o ftiv eux Ivrto-Trofj o $ avriog ixGa' 
atxu, 






^n xakiovrai 



The ancient Scythia was the inost 
northern part of the known world, 
being what we now call Muscovy, 
and the Muscovite Tartary. Lybia 
i2 



60 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



so it is depressed at the south 
of Lybia. One pole always ap- 
pears above our heads ; but 
the other dark. Styx, and the 
infernal ghosts see under their 
feet. At the north pole the 
vast Dragon twines with a 
winding course, and after the 
manner of a river, between 
the two Bears, the Bears that 
fear to be dipped in the wa- 
ters of the ocean. At the south 
pole, either, as some report, 
still night dwells in eternal 
silence, 



Consurgit, premitur Lybiae devexus in austros. 
Hie vertex semper nobis sublimis ; at ilium 
Sub pedibus Styx atra videt, Manesque pro- 
fundi. 
Maximus hie flexu sinuoso elabitur Anguis 
Circum, perque duas in morem fluminis Arctos, 
Arctos Oceani metuentes aequore tingi. 24 6 

Illic, ut perhibent, aut intempesta silet nox 



is an ancient name for Africa, the 
southern part of which reaches to 
the tropic of Capricorn. 

244. Maximus hie flexu, fyc] 
These lines also are an imitation of 
Aratus : 

ik; oi S/ a^ori^as, oln zrorafioTo uTop- 

&» f % , 

Eiksirai (jJiya. S-avpa, op^axuv, -zrzpi <r 

a t u<pi t luyas 
WLvpios, ai $ apa oi ffniipns ixarzgSt 

<p6ovrui 
"Agxroi, xvanov ■zrztpvXay/tsvai vxiavoTo. 

This description of the Dragon 
winding, like a river, at the north 
pole, between the two Bears, is no 
less just than beautiful. One of the 
Arundelian manuscripts has labitur. 
246. Arctos Oceani metuentes ce- 
quore tingi.'] " I beg leave," says 

Mr. B , " to suppose, that this 

' ' line cannot be of Virgil's writing, 
" but that it is slid into the text from 
" the marginal note of some gram- 
" marian or other. There is such 
<c a jingle betwixt oceani and tingi, 
" and the sense, if any sense at all 
" can be affixed to it, is so forced, 
r * that it seems to me not in any 
tC wise to belong to the author of 
" the Georgicks." For my part, I 
see no reason to question the au- 
thority of this verse : nor is it left 
out in any manuscript, or printed 
edition, that I have seen. Virgil, 
no doubt, had in his view Homer's 
description of the northern constel- 



lations on the shield of Achilles ; to 
which he has more than once al- 
luded : 

ITA»ji'a£#s 9-', votSas <r£, to rt ffSives 'Qpiuvo;. 
"Agxrov B-', »jv xai afta%av l-rixkrio-tv xa- 

\iovfftv, 
"Kt alrou fpiQtrai, xai r ^Qpivia "hoxiuu. 
O'ln V apropos \?t "koirpuv uxiavoTo. 

The Pleiads, Hyads, with the northern 

team ; 
And great Orion's more refulgent beam ; 
To which, around the axle of the sky, 
The bear revolving, points his golden 

eye, 
Still shines exalted on th' aetherial plain, 
Nor bathes his blazing forehead in the 

main. 

Mr. Pope. 

One of the Arundelian manuscripts 
has mergi for tingi. 

247- Illic, ut perhibent, aut in- 
tempesta silet nox.'] Virgil alludes, 
in this passage, to that doctrine of 
Epicurus, that the sun might pos- 
sibly revive and perish every day, 
if which opinion be admitted, there 
can be no Antipodes, nor can the 
sun go to light another hemisphere. 
This opinion of Epicurus is to be 
found in his epistle to Pythocles, 
preserved by Diogenes Laertius ; 
'£» to7s ttipI Qve-tog fiiQxiois ejtjx.yvf4.iv, 
uvxroXag x.xi ov<rii$ iiXiov x.ee.t (rtXiivtig kai 
rZv Xoi7ray ar^av, xtu xurec ctva^n 
yivioSect ovvtcaScti xeti y.ctra. trQio-tv. The 

reader cannot but observe how justly 
this verse expresses the still silence 
of the night. Mr. B has been 



p & 




GEORG. LIB. I. 



61 



Semper, et obtenta densantur nocte tenebrae ; 
Aut redit a nobis Aurora, diemque reducit : 
Nosque ubi primus equis oriens afflavit anhelis, 
Illic sera rubens accendit lumina Vesper. 251 
Hinc tempestates dubio prgediscere caelo 



and thickens the gloomy dark- 
ness j or else Aurora returns 
from us to them, and brings 
back the day : and when the 
sun first rising breathes on us 
with his panting horses, there 
bright Vesper lights up the 
late fires. Hence we are able 
to foresee storms in doubtful 
weather j 



- 



more careful to preserve this beauty, 
than any other of the translators : 

There, as they say, or rests the soft, still 
night. 

249. Aut redit a nobis Aurora^ 
Here he proposes the contrary doc- 
trine : that the sun goes to light an- 
other hemisphere, when he leaves 
our horizon. This is not inconsistent 
with the Epicurean philosophy : for 
we see, in the preceding note, that 
Epicurus proposes the other opinion, 
only as a possibility : and Lucretius 
mentions both opinions : 

At nox obruit ingenti caligine terras, 
Aut ubi de longo cursu Sol extima caeli 
Impulit, atque suos efflavit languidus 

ignes 
Concussos itere, et labefactos aere multo: 
Aut quia sub terras cursum convertere 

cogit 
Vis eadem, supra terras quae pertulit, 

orbem. 

And day may end, and tumble down the 

•west, 
And sleepy night fly slowly up the east ; 
Because tlie sun having now performed his 

round, 
And reached with weary flames the utmost 

bound 
Of finite heaven, he there puts out the ray, 
Wearied and Hunted all the tedious day 
By hindering air, and thus the flames decay. 
Or else that constant force might make it 

move 
Below the earth, which whirVd it round 

above. 

Creech. 



250. Primus 



eqms oriens 



afflavit 



anhelis.] Some interpret this of the 
morning, as if it referred to Aurora, 
just mentioned : but the gender of 



primus is a sufficient argument 
against this interpretation. I take 
Sol to be understood ; as it must in 
the fifth iEneid; where we have 
the same words, without any men- 
tion of Aurora : 

Jamque vale: torquet medios nox hu- 

mida cursus, 
Et me saevus equis oriens afflavit anhelis. 

251. Accendit lumina Vesper."] 
Virgil is commonly understood to 
speak here of lighting candles : be- 
cause Vesper, or the evening star, 
is the forerunner of the night. This 
is so low an idea, that I cannot 
think it ever entered into the mind 
of our poet. To conclude so sub- 
lime a piece of poetry with the 
mention of lighting candles, would 
be a wretched anticlimax. Surely 
Virgil still keeps amongst the hea- 
venly bodies, and as Vesper is the 
first star that appears, he describes 
him poetically, as lighting up the 
rest. In other places this star is 
called Hesperus. 

252. Hinc tempestates, c^c] After 
this beautiful description of the hea- 
vens, the poet adds an account of 
the usefulness of this knowledge to 
husbandmen. 

Hinc] One of Dr. Mead's ma- 
nuscripts has hie. 

Tempestates.] See the note on 
ver. 27. 

Prcediscere.] Pierius says it is 
prcedicere in the Roman manuscript, 
bjit he does not approve of it. La 
Cerda however has admitted this 
reading. 



62 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



hence we know the time of 
harvest and the season of sow- 
ing ; and when it is proper to 
cut the faithless sea with oars ; 
when to draw out the armed 
fleets, or to fell the pine-tree 
in the woods in a proper sea- 
son: nor is it in vain that we 
observe the setting and rising 
of the signs, and the year di- 
vided equally into four differ- 
ent seasons. Whenever the 
winter rains confine the hus- 
bandman at home, many 
things may be done at leisure, 
which afterwards, when the 
weather is fair, would be done 
in a hurry. Then the plough- 
man 



Possumus : hinc messisque diem, tempusque se- 

rendi ; 
Et quando infidum remis impellere marmor 
Conveniat ; quando armatas deducere classes, 
Aut tempestivam sylvis evertere pinum. 256 
Nee fi'ustra signorum obitus speculamur et ortus, 
Temporibusque parem diversis quatuor annum. 
Frigidus agricolam siquando continet imber, 
Multa, forent quae mox caelo properanda sereno, 
Maturare datur. Durum procudit arator 261 



253. Messisque diem.'] In some 
copies it is mensisque diem ; but the 
best authority seems to be for messis. 

256. Tempestivam sylvis evertere 
pinum.'] In several of the old ma- 
nuscripts and printed editions we 
find in sylvis ; but the leaving out 
of the preposition is more conform- 
able to the style of our poet. 

Dryden has translated these 
words, or when to fell the furzes. He 
must certainly have meant firs : 
for the furze, otherwise called gorse, 
and whin, is a prickly shrub, which 
grows commonly on our heathy 
grounds, and bears no sort of re- 
semblance to a fir or pine. There 
is some pretence for translating 
pinus a fir, as Mr. B — has done: 
because that tree which we com- 
monly know under the name of the 
Scotch fir is really a species of 
pine. 

By tempestivam the poet means 
the proper season for felling timber. 
This season we are told by Cato is 
when the seed is ripe : " Robus, 
" materies item pro ridica, ubi sol- 
" stitium fuerit ad brumam semper 
** tempestiva est. Caetera materies 
" quae semen habet, cum semen 
" maturum habet, turn tempestiva 
u est." Dr. Trapp has translated 
tempestivam, seasoned. 

Or when in woods to fell the seasoned pine. 



But I believe we never use that 
epithet for timber, which is not yet 
cut down. 

257. Necfrustra, &c] Here the 
poet urges still farther the usefulness 
of astronomical knowledge. He ob- 
serves, that many works are to be 
performed by the husbandman ; the 
proper time for doing which de- 
pends upon a knowledge of the sea- 
sons. 

259. Frigidus imber, .] The poet 
does not seem to mean that these 
works are to be done when any 
sudden shower happens ; but when 
the winter season comes on, which 
he had before expressed by brumas 
intractabilis imbrem. 

261. Maturare.] It is here op- 
posed to proper are: maturare signi- 
fies to do a thing at leisure, in a pro- 
per season: but properare signifies 
to do it in a hurry. Virgil's sense 
therefore in this place is, that the 
farmer has time to prepare these 
things in winter; but that if he 
should neglect this opportunity till 
the season of the year calls him out 
to work in the field, he will then be 
so busy, that he cannot have time 
to do them as he ought. Aulus 
Gellius observes, that in his time the 
signification of mature was corruptly 
used for hastily : " Mature nunc 
" significat proper e et cito, contra 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



63 



sharpens the hard point of the 



Vomeris obtusi dentem : cavat arbore lintres : 

Aut pecori signum, aut numeros impressit acer- cattle, or numbers his sack*. 

r ° Some sharpen stakes and two- 



VIS. 



blunt share ; scoops troughs 
out of trees; or marks his 



horned forks, 



Exacuunt alii vallos, furcasque bicornes, 



" ipsius verbi sententiam. Aliud 
" enim est mature quam quod di- 
" citur propere. Propterea P. Ni- 
" gidius homo in omnium bonarum 
" artium disciplinis egregius, Ma- 
" ture, inquit, est quod neque citius 
" est neque serius : sed medium quid- 
" dam et temperatum est. Bene atque 
" proprie Nigidius. Nam et in fru- 
c ' gibus et in pomis matura dicuntur 
" quae neque cruda et immitia sunt, 
" neque caduca et decocta, sed tem- 
" pore suo adulta maturaque. Quo- 
" niam autem id, quod non segniter 
" fiebat, mature fieri dicebatur, pro- 
<c gressa plurimum verbi significatio 
" est, et non jam quod non segnius, 
" sed quod festinatius fit, id fieri ma- 
" ture dicitur, quando ea, quae prae- 
cf ter sui temporis modum properata 
" sunt, immatura verius dicantur. 
" Illud vero Nigidianum rei atque 
" verbi temperamentum divus Au- 
" gustus duobus Graecis verbis ele- 
u gantissime exprimebat. Namque 
" et dicere in sermonibus et scribere 
" in epistolis solitum esse aiunt, 
" <mivhi ^qa^'iaq. Per quod monebat 
" ut ad rem agendam simul adhi- 
<f beretur et industriae celeritas et 
" diligentiae tarditas, ex quibus duo- 
tc bus contrariis fit maturitas. Vir- 
<e gilius quoque, siquis animum at- 
" tendat, duo ista verba properare 
" et maturare tanquam plane con- 
*' traria scitissime separavit in hisce 
" versibus : Frigidus agricolam, fyc. 
" elegantissime ista duo verba di- 
" visit. Namque in praeparatu rei 
" rusticae per tempestates pluvias, 
" quoniam otium est, maturari pot- 
" est : per serenas, quoniam tempus 
<e instat, properari iecessum est." 
262. Cavat arbom lintres.] Most 



of the commentators think lintres 
means boats in this place; which 
were anciently scooped out of trees. 
Thus Virgil speaks of hollowed al- 
ders, when he mentions the begin- 
ning of navigation : 

Tunc alnos primum fluvii sensere ca- 
vatas. 

But I believe navigation was so far 
improved in Virgil's time, that the 
Romans made no use of hollow trees 
for boats. Therefore I rather think 
he meant troughs, which seem more 
immediately to concern the farmer 
than boats. 

9,63. Pecori signum.] The way 
of marking the cattle was by burn- 
ing them ; as we find in the third 
Georgick : 

Post partum cura in vitulos traducitur 

omnis : 
Continuoque notas, et nomina gentis 

in ur tint. 

Numeros impressit acervis.] I take 
the poet to mean numbering the 
sacks of corn ; perhaps in order to 
signify the quantity contained in 
each. For I cannot understand how 
the heaps of corn can be said to be 
imprinted with numbers. Dr. 
Trapp, in his note on this passage, 
says, " Sacks, or if you please 
" stacks. Acervis. It is uncertain 
" whether he speaks of corn threshed 
cc or unthreshed : of barns, or of 
" granaries." 

264. Exacuunt alii vallos.] Servhis 
interprets vallos the banks and 
ditches which are made round vine- 
yards: " Fossas et muros de terra 
" factos, et glebis, qui fiunt in cir- 
ce cuitu cohortium et vinearum." 
He takes exacuunt to mean the 



64 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and prepare willow twigs to 
bind the bending vine. Now 
the light basket is woven with 
bramble twigs. Now parch 
your corn with fire, now grind 
it with stones. Nay, even on 
sacred days, divine and human 
laws permit some works to be 
done. No strictness ever for- 
bad to drain the fields, 



Atque Amerina parant lentae retinacula viti. 265 
Nunc facilis rubea texatur fiscina virga : 
Nunc torrete igni fruges, nunc frangite saxo. 
Quippe etiam festis quaedam exercere diebus 
Fas et jura sinunt. Rivos deducere nulla 



cleaning of the ditches, and repair- 
ing of the banks. But this inter- 
pretation seems to be greatly 
forced: and besides it is no work 
for wet weather : nor is it possible 
to be done within doors, which 
Virgil plainly expresses : 

Frigidus agricolam si quando conthtct 
imber. 

Valli certainly mean the stakes or 
poles, which serve to prop the 
vines. 

265. Amerina retinaculaT] Ameria 
is the name of a city in Italy where 
the best willows were said to grow 
in abundance. It is a sort of willow 
with slender red twigs, according 
to Columella : " Nee refert cujus 
" generis vimen seras, dum sit len- 
' ' tissimum : putant tamen tria esse 
cf genera praecipue salicis, Graecae, 
" Gallicae, Sabinae, quam plurimi 
fC vocant Amerinam. Graeca flavi 
' c coloris est, Gallica obsoleti purpu- 
" rei, et tenuissimi viminis. Ame- 
" rina salix gracilem virgam, et ru- 
" tilam gerit." 

2.66. Rubea virga.'] Rubi was the 
name of a city of Apulia. It is 
mentioned by Horace : 

Inde Rubos fessi pervenimus. 

Servius thinks that by Rubea virga 
is meant such twigs as grow about 
Rubi. Indeed it seems natural for 
the poet to mention these two cities 
of Italy, Ameria and Rubi, just to- 
gether. But at the same time it 
must be confessed, that Rubi is not 
any where, that I can find, cele- 
brated for willows or osiers. I ra- 



ther believe the poet meant twigs 
of brambles, because the bramble, 
rubus, is mentioned by Pliny 
amongst the bending twigs, which 
are fit for such purposes as Virgil is 
here speaking of. " Siquidem et 
" genistae, et populi, et ulmi, et san- 
" guinei frutices, et betulae, et ha- 
" rundo fissa, et harundinum folia, 
" ut in Liguria, et vitis ipsa, reci- 
" sisque aculeis, Rubi alligant, et 
" intorta corylus." Mr. B — is the 
only translator, who has followed 
this last interpretation : 

Now with the Iramhle weave the basket's 
round. 

267. Nunc iorrete igni fruges.] 
He speaks here not of baking, but 
of parching the corn, in order to 
grind it. We have the same ex- 
pression in the first iEneid : 

Frugesque receptas 

Et torrere parant flammis, et frangere 
saxo. 

268. Quippe etiam, &c] Here 
the poet enumerates those works 
which are lawful to be done on festi- 
val days. 

269. Rivos deducere.] Most of the 
translators have erred about this 
passage. May translates it, To dig 
a dyke : Dryden, to Jloat the mea- 
dofvs: Mr. B , 

To lead the torrent o'er the thirsty 
plain. 

To dig ditches, or to float the 
ground, was hot allowed by the 
high priests to be done on holy days. 
But to drain and cleanse ditches 
was lawful, as we find in Columella : 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



C5 



Kclligio vetuit, segeti pnetendere scpem, 270 
Insidias avibus m6tiVi, incendere vepres, 
Balantumque gregem fluvio mersare salubri. 
Saepe oleo tardi costas agitator aselli 
Vilibus aut onerat pomis; lapidemque revertens 
Incusum, aut atrae massam picis urbe reportat. 
Ipsa dies alios alio dedit ordine Luna 276 

Felices operum. Quintam fuge : pallidus Orcus, 
Eumenidesque satae : turn partu terra nefando 



to defend the corn with a 
hedge, to lay snares for birds, 
to fire the thorns, and to dip 
the bleating flock in the 
wholesome river. The driver 
also of the slow-paced ass 
often loads his ri'is with oil 
or common frui ; and when 
he returns from the city, 
brings back, with him an in- 
dented millstone, or a mass of 
black pitch. The very moon 
has given some days in dif- 
ferent degrees luckv for work. 
Avoid the fifth : pale Orcus 
and the Furies were born on 
that day : then did the earth 
with a horrid labour 



" Ferns autem ritus majorum etiam 
5? ilia permittit. — Piscinas, lacus, 
te fossasveteres tergere, et purgare." 
And indeed the true meaning of 
vivos deducere is to drain : 

Quique paludis 



Collectum humorem bibula deducit arena. 

¥ or floating is called inducere : 

Deinde satis fluvium inducit rivosque 
sequentes. 

See verse 106, and 113, of this 
Georgick. Dr. Trapp has justly 
translated these words ; " To drain 
" the fields." 

270. Segeti prcetendere sepem.] 
Columella differs from Virgil, in 
this particular : " Quanquam Pon- 
" tifices negent segetem feriis sepiri 
tc debere." 

272. Balantumque gregem fluvio 
mersare salubri.] Columella ob- 
serves, upon this passage, that it 
was unlawful to wash the sheep on 
holy days, for the sake of the wool: 
but that it was allowed to wash 
them, to cure them of their diseases. 
Hence Virgil mentions the whole- 
some river, to shew that he meant it 
by way of medicine: <c Vetant 
<f quoque lanarum causa lavari oves, 
" nisi propter medicinam. Virgi- 
" lius, quod liceat feriis flumine 
" abluere gregem, praecepit, et id- 
" circo adjecit, fluvio mersare salubri. 
" Sunt enim vitia, quorum causa 



' ' pecus utile sit lavare." Balantum 
gregem is here used for sheep, with 
great propriety: for it is observable 
that sheep make a great bleating, 
when they are washed. 

274. Vilibus pomis.'] Vilis signi- 
fies common, mean, or cheap. Po- 
mum is used by the ancients not only 
for apples, but for all esculent fruits. 
Fruit is used by botanists to signify 
the seeds of any plant, with their 
covering : but in common accepta- 
tion it agrees exactly with what the 
ancients meant by Pomum. See my 
First Lecture of a Course of Botany, 
page 19, 20, 21. 

Lapidem incusum.~] This Servius 
interprets a stone cut with teeth, 
for a hand-mill to grind corn. The 
King's and the Bodleian manuscript, 
and some of the old printed editions 
have incussum. 

276. Ipsa dies, <§-c] Now the 
poet gives an account of those days, 
which were reckoned lucky and 
unlucky by the ancients. 

277. Quintam fuge7\ The fifth 
day is set down as unlucky by 
Hesiod : 

Tliftfrus V IJtaXieurS-eti, \9rt1 %a\tirui n 

xa.) atvai. 
'Ev zvifAVrn yoe.^ faffiv 'Egivvvccg ufiQitfo- 

Xtutiv, 
"0£*«v rmufiivecs, rev "E^s vixt ssr,^ 

19T10(>X0I$. 

278. Turn.] One of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts has cum. 

K 



66 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



bring forth Coeus and Iape- 
tus, and fierce Typhoeus, 
and the brethren who con- 
Spired to destroy heaven. 
Thrice truly did they en- 
deavour to lav Ossa upon 
Pelion, and to roll the shady 
Olympus upon Ossa: thrice 
did Tupiter scatter asunder 
the neaped mountains with 
his thunderbolt. 



Coeumque Iapetumque creat, ssevumque Ty- 

phoea, 
Et conjuratos caelum rescindere fratres. 280 
Ter sunt conati imponere Pelio Ossam 
Scilicet, atque Ossae frondosum involvere Olym- 

pum : 
Ter pater extructos disjecit fulmine montes. 



279* Cceumque, Iapetumque creat, 
saevumque Typhoea.] These are said 
also by Hesiod to be the sons of 
the earth. Virgil imitates the Greek 
poet in mentioning Coeus and Iape- 
tus without any epithet. 

KoTov re, KgtTov 9-', *T tftPiovcl r, 'lain- 

But he bestows the epithet of scevus 
on Typhoeus: and indeed Hesiod 
gives a terrible description of this 
giant. 

281. Ter sunt conati imponere Pe- 
lio Ossamr\ The fable of the war of 
the giants against the gods is well 
known. Homer mentions this heap- 
ing up of mountains on mountains, 
but he differs from Virgil in placing 
them: 

Hrikiev ilvotriQvX'kov, "v igavcs ajtSxres 1%. 

Heav'd on Olympus tott'ring Ossa 

stood ; 
On Ossa Pelion nods with all his wood. 
Mr. Pope. 

Olympus seems the fittest for the 
foundation, being the biggest of the 
three mountains. Longinus brings 
these verses of Homer, as an in- 
stance of the sublime, and observes, 
that the poet, not content with 
barely mentioning this attempt of 
the giants, immediately adds that 
they had almost effected what they 
designed : Kect vv x.iv s|sTgAs<r<r* v. But, 
with all due submission to that ex- 
cellent critic, I think the sublimity 
of this passage is rather diminished 



than augmented by the following 
line: 

K«« vv Kit i^irikio-fan tl ijSns fiirgor 'ixovre. 

<e They would have brought to pass 
ff what they designed, if they had 
" arrived to their full strength." 
Surely what idea soever this gives 
of the strength of the giants, it di- 
minishes the power of Jupiter and 
the rest of the gods, who with so 
much difficulty subdued a few boys, 
who had not yet arrived to their 
full strength. Virgil has enlarged 
the idea of Homer, by saying that 
the giants made this attempt three 
times before they could be subdued. 
The labour of the giants in heaping 
mountain upon mountain is very 
beautifully expressed in the numbers 
of this verse : 

Ter sunt conati imponere Pelio Ossam. 

It is impossible to read it without 
a pause. 

283. Disjecit.] Pierius says it is 
dejecit in the Roman manuscript. 
The same reading is in the Cam- 
bridge, the Arundelian, and one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts. Virgil has 
used deficit in this Georgick : 



Ille flagranti 



Aut Atho, aut Rhodopen, aut alta Ce- 

raunia telo 
Dejicit. 

But there he is speaking of single 
mountains. Disjecit seems more 
proper in this place, to express the 
scattering asunder of these moun- 
tains. And we find in Strabo, that 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



G7 



Septima post decimam felix et ponere vitem, 
Et prensos domitare boves, et licia telfe 285 
Addere : nona fugas melior, contraria furtis. 
Multa adeo gelida melius se nocte dedere, 
Aut cum sole novo terras irrorat Eous. 



The seventeenth is lucky to 
plant the vine, and to tame 
oxen, and to begin to weave. 
The ninth is better for flight, 
but adverse to theft. Many- 
things also may be done bet- 
ter in the cool night, or when 
the morning bedews the earth 
at sun-ri3ing. 



Ossa was really thought to have 
been torn from Olympus: 'y™ ?g 

rao-pm pvyfAotTog ymntcivov {roc, vvv kci- 
Xovpivcc Tift7Tvi) y.oii tjjv "Orcroiv a.7ro<r^}- 
fyvrog axo rov 'OXvp.7rov. This might 
give the poets room to feign that 
this violence was committed at the 
time of the war between the gods 
and the giants. 

284. Septima post decimam.'] Ser- 
vius mentions three different inter- 
pretations of these words: 1. The 
seventeenth is lucky: 2. the seventh 
is lucky, but not so lucky as the 
tenth: 3. the fourteenth is lucky, 
that is the seventh doubled, which 
comes after the tenth. This last is 
so forced an interpretation, that I 
cannot be persuaded that Virgil 
could mean any thing so obscure. 
It must however be confessed that 
Hesiod has set down the fourteenth 
day as lucky for taming cattle : 



Kougy oi <rt nrpa: 



fiov Si 
Kxt xvvcc xxgxczgcdovrei, xod ovgnoci ret- 
kaigyou; 

The last words agree with prensos 
domitare. The second interpreta- 
tion is generally received : and in- 
deed Hesiod says the seventh and 
the tenth days are both lucky : 



and 

Eo-B-k-/] o avd^oyovos Stxolrt]. 

But he no where says that the se- 
venth is inferior to the tenth ; nor 
does he mention either of them as 



fortunate for any part of husbandry. 
I prefer the first interpretation, be- 
cause it seems the most plain. He- 
siod allows it also to be one of the 
lucky days : 

Micrcrri §' i^bo^arn &*ip.nn°os 'ugh uxrhf 
Ev peek' oTtTTTivovra lurgo%u\<k> iv akuy 
BoiXXuv. ukotifiov rt rctftsTv SxXufunt'et 

o^ovoa, 
Nnici rs £yAa •ac\'ka> to, t ugfitva vnvft 

TffikoVTOU. 

El.] One of the Arundelian ma- 
nuscripts has est. Pierius says it is 
est in the Lombard manuscript, but 
it is altered from et with a different 
hand. 

Vitem.] Pierius says it is vites in 
the Lombard manuscript. It is the 
same in the King's and both Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts, and in several 
printed editions. 

287. Malta adeo, #c] The poet 
proceeds to mention what sort of 
works are to be done in the night, 
both in winter and summer. 

Gelida melius, .] Thus it is in the 
Medicean and other ancient manu- 
scripts, according to Pierius : and 
in all the manuscripts, which I have 
collated, except one of Dr. Mead's. 
Heinsius, La Cerda, Poiseus, and 
most of the editors have gelida me- 
lius. In some few editions it is 
melius gelida. 

288. Aut.'] Pierius says it is vel 
in some ancient manuscripts: but 
that most copies have aut. One of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts also has vel. 

Irrorat.'] In one of the Arunde- 
lian manuscripts it is irrigat. 

Eous.] Servius and most of the 
commentators interpret this the 
Morning Star. Some take it to 
k2' 



6-3 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



By night the light stubble, 
by night the parched mea- 
dows are better cut: the 
ciammv dew is never known 
to fail in the night. Some 
Mt up late by the light of a 
winter fire, and point torches 
with a sharp knife : whilst 
their wives, easing their long 
labour with singing, run 
through the loom with the 
rattling reed, or boil away 
the moisture of the sweet 
must over the fire, and ?cum 
with leaves the wave of the 
trembling kettle. But red- 
dened Ceres is cut down in 
the heat of noon, 



Nocte leves melius stipulae, nocte arida prala 
Tondentur: noctes lentus non deficit humor. 2 ( J0 
Et quidam seros hyberni ad lu-minis ignes 
Pervigilat, ferroque faces inspicat acuto. 
Interea longum cantu solata laborem 
Arguto conjux percurrit pectine teias : 
Aut dulcis musti Vulcano decoquit humorem, 
Et foliis undam trepidi despumat aheni. 296 
At rubicunda Ceres medio succiditur aestu, 



mean one of the horses of the sun 
of that name. He is mentioned by 
Ovid: 

Interea volucres Pyroeis, et Eous> et 

iEthon, 
Solis equi, quavtusque Phlegon. 

289- Nocte leves melius stipulaz.] 
Heinsius is almost singular, in print- 
ing the words in this order. Pie- 
rius however observes that the same 
disposition is in all the ancient ma- 
nuscripts which he had seen : and 
that it is more elegant than the 
common reading. 

Nocte arida prata to?ide?itur.~] 
Pliny also observes that a dewy 
night is fittest for mowing : " Noc- 
" tibus roscidis secari melius." 

290. Nodes.] In some manu- 
scripts it is nodis : which may be 
either the genitive case singular, 
or the accusative plural. Pierius 
proves it is the accusative plural, 
from a passage in Arusianus Mes- 
sus, de Ehcutionibus Virgilii: where, 
observing that deficit illam rem is an 
elegant expression, he quotes the 
authority of Virgil, who wrote Noc- 
tes lentus non deficit humor. 

292. Faces inspicat.'] The torches 
of the ancients were sticks cut to a 
point. 

295. Dulcis musti Vulcano deco- 
quit humorem.] Must is the new 
wine before it is fermented. We 
find in Columella, that it was usual 



to boil some of the must till a fourth 
part, or a third, or even sometimes 
half was evaporated. This Virgil 
expressses by decoquit humorem. 
The use of tins boiled must is to 
put into some sorts of wine to make 
them keep. Columella is very co- 
pious on this subject, in lib. xii. 
cap. 19;. 20, 21. He recommends 
the sweetest must for this purpose : 
thus dulcis is no idle epithet to 
musti in this passage. 

La Cerda observes that Vulcan is 
never used by Virgil for Jire ; but 
when he would express a large fire. 
This is certain, that Columella di- 
rects the fire to be gradually in- 
creased to a considerable heat. 

296. Undam trepidi aheni.] The 
wave of the trembling kettle is a 
poetical expression ; the boiling of a 
pot resembling the waves of the sea. 
Pierius says it is irepidis despumat 
aenis in the Roman manuscript, and 
trepidi in the Medicean and some 
other manuscripts. The Cambridge 
manuscript has trepidi : in the other 
manuscripts which I have consulted 
it is tepidi. Servius, Heinsius, La 
Cerda, Masvicius, and several good 
editors read trepidi. Kuseus and 
many others prefer tepidi. 

297. At rubicunda Ceres, «£c] 
From the mention of works to be 
done in the night, he passes to these 
which are to be done in the day 
time, both in summer and winter j 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



G9 



Et medio tostas sestu terit area fruges. JJ ^SS 2S &?£ 

Ntidus ara, sere nudus: hyems ignava colono. ?« fei^VucSieX 



the husbandman. 



and enlarges upon the enjoyments 
of husbandmen in the winter sea- 
son: 

By rubicunda Ceres the poet 
means the standing corn, which is 
of a reddish yellow, or golden co- 
lour, when ripe. 

Succidilur.] Mr. B — would fain 
read succingiiur. le Several copies," 
says he, " have snccinditur, but it is 
" a very improper expression to say 
™ corn is hewed down : but Ceres 
" represented by a sheaf of corn is 
" very poetically said to be girt or 
" bound." In consequence of this 
criticism, he translates this line 
thus: 

But bound is Ceres at the noon of heat. 

I do not find any other authority 
than this gentleman's conjecture, 
for reading succingiiur. All the 
manuscripts and printed copies 
which I have seen have succiditur, 
which signifies is cut down. The 
participle of this verb is applied by 
Virgil, in the ninth iEneid, to a 
flower cut down by a plough : 

Purpureus veluti cum fios succistis aratro 
Languescit moriens. 

Ccedo and its compounds are fre- 
quently applied by Columella to 
the cutting down of hay and corn. 
The title of the nineteenth chapter 
of his second book is, Quemadmodum 
succisum fcenum tractari et condi 
debcat. In that chapter we find 
cum fcenum cecidimus. In the 
twenty-first chapter, which treats 
of harvest, Ave find si tempestive 
decisa sint: and sin autem spicce 
tantummodo recisae sunt. 

298. Et medio tostas ce§tu terit 
area fruges.~] Thus Columella: 
u Quod si falcibus seges cum parte 
" culmi demessa sit, protinus in 



" acervum, vel in nubilarium con- 
ec geritur, et subinde opporiunis soli- 
" bus torrefacta proteritur." 

I make use of the word thresh in 
my translation, as being most fami- 
liar to the English reader : though 
it is certain that the Romans seldom 
made use of a flail or stick to beat 
out their corn. I have already de- 
scribed the iribulum in the note on 
ver. 164. Sometimes they per- 
formed it by turning cattle into the 
floor, to tread the corn out with 
their feet. Varro, immediately 
after his description of the tribulum, 
adds : " Apud alios exteritur grege 
" jumentorum inacto, et ibi agitato 
ec perticis, quod ungulis e spica ex- 
" teruntur grana." Columella men- 
tions all these ways, of threshing, 
treading, and rubbing with the tri- 
bulum. " Sin autem spicae tantum- 
" modo recisae sunt, possunt in 
" horreum conferri, et deinde per 
" hyemem, vel baculis excuti vel 
" exteri pecudibus. At si competit, 
" ut in area teratur frumentum, 
" nihil dubium est, quin equis 
cc melius, quam bubus ea res conn* 
tc ciatur, et si pauca juga sunt, adji- 
ec cere tribulam et traham possis, 
" quae res utraque culmos facillime 
tC comminuit." 

299. Nudus ara, sere nudus.~] 
Thus Hesiod : 



By saying these works should be 
performed naked, the poets mean 
that they ought to be done when 
the weather is exceeding hot. Ac- 
cording to Pliny, Cincinnatus was 
found ploughing naked, when the 
dictatorship was brought to him : 
" Aranti quatuor sua jugera in Va- 
a ticano, quae prata Quintia appel- 



70 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



In cold weather the farmers 
generally enjoy what they 
have go'tten: and rejoicing 
one with another make mu- 
tual feast*. Tie gonial win- 
ter invites them, and dis- 
solves their cares. As when 
the l«len ship^ have just 
reached the port, and the joy- 
ful mariners have crowned 
their sterns. But yet then is 
the season to gather acorns, 
and bav berries, and bloody 
tayrtle berries. 



Frigoribus parto agricolae plerumque fruuntur, 
Mutuaque inter se laeti convivia curant. 30 1 
Invitat genialis hyems, curasque resolvit : 
Ceu presses cum jam portum tetigere carinas, 
Puppibus et laeti nautae imposuere coronas. 
Sed tamen et quernas glandes turn stringere 
tempus, 305 

Et lauri baccas, oleamque, cruentaque myrta. 



" lantur, Cincinnato viator attulit 
" dietaturam, et quidem, ut traditur, 
* e nudo, plenoque pulveris etiamnum 
" ore. Cui viator, vela corpus, in- 
Ci quit, ut proferam Senatus Popu- 
" lique Romani mandata." 

Colono.] Pierius says that in the 
Medicean copy it is colono est. 

B04. Puppibus et Iceti nautce impo- 
mere coronas.'] This whole line is 
repeated in the fourth iEneid, ver. 
418. 

305. Quernas glandes.] Glans 
seems to have been used by the Ro- 
mans in the same sense that we use 
Mast. Thus the fruit of the beech 
is called glans ; " Fagi glans nuclei 
cc similis," says Pliny. But strictly 
speaking it means only such fruits 
as contain only one seed, which is 
covered at the lower part with a 
husk, and is naked at the upper 
part : thus the fruit of an oak, which 
we commonly call an acorn, is pro- 
perly a glans. " Glandem," says 
Pliny, " qua? proprie intelligitur, 
iC ferunt robur, quercus, esculus, 
te cerrus, ilex, suber." 

Stringere.] This word signifies 
to gather with the hand: thus we 
find in the ninth Eclogue : 

Hie ubi densas 

Agricolae slringunt frondes. 

306. Lauri baccas.] Translators 
frequently confound the laurel and 
the bay ; as if they were the same 
tree, and what the Romans called 
Laurus. Our laurel was hardly 
known in Europe, till the latter end 



of the sixteenth century; about , 
which time it seems to have been 
brought from Trebizond to Constan- , 
tinople, and from thence into most ■ 
parts of Europe. The laurel has . 
no fine smell, which is a property 
ascribed to the Laurus, by our poet 
in the second Eclogue : 

Et vos, o Lauri, carpam, et te proxime, 

myrte, 
Sic positse, quoniam suaves miscetis i 

odores : 

and in the sixth iEneid : 

Odoratum Lauri nemus. 

Nor is the laurel remarkable for 
crackling in the fire: of which 
there is abundant mention with re- 
gard to the Laurus: Thus Lucre- 
tius: 



Aridior porro si nubes accipit ignem, 
Uritur ingenti sonitu succensa repente : 
Lauricomos ut si per mentes flamma 

vagetur, 
Turbine ventorum comburens impete 

magno. 
Nee res ulla magis, quam Phcebi Del- 

phica Laurus 
Terribili sonitu flamma crepitante cre- 

matur. 

But if the cloud he dry, and thunder fall, 
Rises a crackling Haze, and spreads o'er 

all; 
As when fierce fires, pressed on by winds, r 

do seize 
Our laurel groves, and waste the virgin 

trees; 
The leaves all crackle ; she that fled the 

chace 
Of Phoebus' love, still flies the flames* 

embrace. 

Chekch. 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



71 



Turn gruibus pedicas et retia ponere cervis, 
Auritosque sequi lepores; turn figere damas, 
Stuppea torquentem Balearis verbera fundae, 
Cum nix alta jacet, glaciem cum flumina trudunt. 
Quid tempestates autumni, et sidera dicain? 31 1 
Atque ubi jam breviorque dies, et mollior eestas, 



Then is the a«ason to lay 
snares for cranes, and nets 
for stags and to pursue the 
Jong eared hares : then is the 
season for the Baharicslinger 
to pierce the does, when the 
snow lies d?. p, when the 
riversroll down the ice. Why 
should I speak of the storms 
and constellations of autumn. 



These characters agree very well 
with the bay-tree, which seems to 
be most certainly the Laurus of the 
ancients; and is at this time fre- 
quent in the woods and hedges in 
Italy. The first discoverers of the 
laurel gave it the name of Lauro~ 
cerasus, because it has a leaf some- 
thing like a bay, and a fruit like a 
cherry. 

Crueidaque myrta.] The myrtle 
berries are here called cruenla, from 
their vinous juice. There are seve- 
ral species of myrtle ; but Ray in- 
forms us that he observed no other 
sort in Italy, than the common 
myrtle, or myrtas communis Italica 
C.B. 

309. Balearis.] The Balearides 
are two islands near Spain, now 
known by the names of Majorca 
and Minorca. The inhabitants of 
these islands are said to have been 
famous for slinging: their name 
being derived from /3«AAg;y. 

311. Quid tempestates autumni, 
fyc] The poet having barely men- 
tioned the stormy seasons : the latter 
end of spring, and the beginning of 
autumn, proceeds to an elegant de- 
scription of a storm in the time of 
harvest. 

Tempestates autumni, et sidera.] 
The Autumn was reckoned to begin 
about the twelfth of August, at the 
cosmical setting of Fidicula and the 
Dolphin: which was accounted a 
stormy season, according to Colu- 
mella: " Pridie Idus Augusti fidis 
" occidit mane, et autumnus incipit. 
fr . . Idibus Augusti delphini occasus 



tc tempestatem significat. Decimo 
cc nono CalendasSeptembrisejusdem 
" sideris matutinus occasus tempe- 
u statem significat. Decimo tertio 
iC Calendas Septembris sol in virgi- 
" nem transitum facit. Hoc et se- 
tc quenti die tempestatem significat, 
" interdum et tonat. Hoc eodem 
" die fidis occidit. Decimo Calen- 
<( das Septembris ex eodem sidere 
*'• tempestas plerumque oritur et plu- 
ee via." Homer mentions the Au- 
tumn as a stormy season : 

'Us S* vtto XatXutrj vruffa xsXatvh jGi£g4$t 
X§uv 

Zsj/j. 

When in Autumn Jove his fury 

pours 
And earth is loaden with incessant 

show'rs. 

Mr. Pope, 

One of the Arundelian manuscripts 
has f rigor a instead of sidera. 

312. Atque ubi Jam breviorque 
dies, et mollior eestas.'] One of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts has 

Atque ubi jam breviorque dies, jam 
mollior aestas, 

which is not amiss. Servius thinks 
the latter end of Autumn is meant : 
but that interpretation will not agree 
with mollior eestas, unless we sup- 
pose eestas to be put poetically for 
warm weather, as it seems to be in 
the second Georgick : 

Prima vel autumni sub frigora, cum ra- 

pidus sol 
Nondum hyemem contingit equis, jam 

praetsrit aestas. 



72 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



vigilance is neces- Q uae vimlanda viris ? vel cum ruit imbriferurn 

en, when the days ^ o 



ver 



and what 

sary in men, 

grow shorter, and the heat 

more moderate? Or when 

the showery spring con- . . • • i •. 

dudes, when the spiky har- Spicea 1am camDis cum messis inhorruit, et cum 

vest now bristles in thp 
fields, and when 



the 



313. Vel cum ruit imbriferurn 
ver.] One of Dr. Mead's manuscripts 
has et instead of vel. Servius inter- 
prets ruit, prcecipitatur, in fine est. 
The latter end of the spring is about 
the end of April, and beginning of 
May, which is a rainy season, ac- 
cording to Columella: u Decimo 
" quinto Calendas Maias sol in tau- 
" rum transition facit, pluviam sig- 
<c nificat. Decimo quarto Calendas 
<c Maias suculae se vesperi celant, 
" pluviam significat. Undecimo Ca- 
" lendas Maias ver bipartitur, pluvia 
ce et nonnunquam grando. Decimo 
" Calendas Maias vergilias cum sole 
" oriuntur, africus vel auster, dies 
"humidus. Nono Calendas Maias 
" prima nocte fidicula apparet, tem- 
" pestatem significat. Quarto Ca- 
" lendas Maias auster fere cum plu- 
" via. Tertio Calendas Maias mane 
ee capra exoritur, austrinus dies, in- 
" terdum pluvise .... Quinto Nonas 
" Maias centaurus totus apparet, 
" tempestatem significat. Tertio 
e< Nonas Maias idem sidus plu- 
<f viam significat. . . . Septimo Idus 
" Maias iEstatis initium, favonius, 
" aut corus, interdum etiam pluvia." 
Lucretius mentions both Autumn 
and Spring, as stormy seasons : 

Autumnoque magis stellis fulgentibus 
alta 

Concutitur cash domus undique, totaque 
tellus ; 

Et cum tempora se Veris florentia pan- 
dun t. 

Now Spring and Autumn frequent thun- 
ders hear ; 

TJiey shake the rising and the dying 
year. 

Creech. 

314. Spicea jam campis, &?c.~\ 
Some understand the poet to speak 



of the ripe corn in this passage. 
But he plainly means the first ap- 
pearance of the ear: this agrees 
with the time mentioned by him, 
which is May : and the next line, 
where he speaks of the milky corn, 
and the green stems, puts it out of 
all question. 

Inhorruit.~\ Servius interprets this 
intremiscit, in which he is followed 
by Ruaeus. Dr. Trapp adheres to 
this interpretation : 

When the trembling ears 

Wave with the wind. 

He observes upon this passage, that 
" trembling in animals being the 
' < effect of fear ; the word inhorruit 
" is elegantly transferred to corn, 
" &c. trembling with the wind." 
See the note on segnisque horreret in 
arvis carduus, ver. 151. Virgil has 
used inhorruit, only in three other 
places in all his works : in neither 
of which he puts it for fear or trem- 
bling. In the third and fifth ^Eneids, 
he uses it to express a horrid dark- 
ness overspreading the sea in a 
storm: 

Caeruleus supra caput astitit imler 

Noctem hyememque ferens : et inhorruit 
unda tenebris. 

In the tenth JEneid he uses it to 
describe a wild boar erecting his 
bristles : 

Postquam inter retia ventum est, 
Substitit, intremuitque ferox, etinhorruit 
armos. 

Thus I take it in this place to sig- 
nify the bristling of the bearded ears 
of corn ; as Mr. B — has translated 
it: 

Or when the harvest IrUtles into ears. 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



73 



Frumenta in viridi stipula lactentia turgent? 315 
Saepe ego cum flavis messorem induceret arvis 
Agricola, et fragili jam stringeret hordea culmo, 
Omnia vcntorum concurrere proelia vidi, 
Quae gravidam late segetem ab radicibus imis 
Sublime expulsam eruerent : ita turbine nigro 



the milky corn swells on the 
green stem ? Often have I 
seen, when the husbandman 
had brought the reaper into 
the yellow fields, and was 
reaping the barley with brit- 
tle stems, all the fury of the 
winds engage, and tear up the 
heavy corn by the very roots 
far and near, and toss it on 
high, just as a black whirl- 
wind 



315. Lactentia.'] The Bodleian 
and one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts 
have lactantia. Servius observes 
that lactans signifies that which 
yields milk, lactens that which re- 
ceives milky nourishment. 

31 6. Scepe ego cum flavis, fyc.~\ 
The meaning of the poet seems to 
be that the storms of Autumn and 
Spring have nothing extraordinary 
in them, being usually expected in 
those seasons. Therefore he chooses 
to enlarge upon those storms which 
he has often seen even in the time 
of harvest: and describes the ter- 
rible effects of them in a very po- 
etical manner. 

317' Fragili jam stringeret hor- 
dea culmo7\ Stringere signifies to 
gather with the hand, as is observed 
in the note on that word, ver. 305. 
Servius seems to take it in this sense. 
But Ruaeus interprets it to bind: 
" Et jam ligaret hordea paleis fra- 
" gilibus." Most of our translators 
implicitly follow this interpretation. 
Dryden translates this verse : 

Ev'n while the reaper fills his greedy 

hands, 
And binds the golden sheaves in brittle 

bands. 

Thus he takes fragili culmo to mean 
the band of the sheaf. I rather be- 
lieve the poet means the stem or 
straw of the growing barley by cul- 
mus, and uses the epithet fragilis to 
express its ripeness ; as he adds flu- 
*vis to arvis in the foregoing verse, 
for the same reason. Mr. B — leaves 
out the brittle straw, and says only, 
. — And now bound the grain. 



Dr. Trapp follows Dryden : 



-And hound 



His sheaves with brittle straw. 

May understood it in the same sense 
which I have given it : 

——When corn was ripe to mow, 
And now in dry, and brittle straw did 
grow. 

318. Concurrere.'] It is consurgere 
in one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts, 
and in the Roman manuscript, ac- 
cording to Pierius. But concurrere 
is a better word : and we have the 
authority of Pliny that it is the word 
which Virgil used in this place : 
" Etenim praedicta ratione vento- 
" rum, ne saepius eadem dicantur, 
iC transire convenit ad reliqua tem- 
" pestatum praesagia, quoniam et 
" hoc placuisse Virgilio magnopere 
" video. Siquidem in ipsa messe 
u saepe concurrere praelia ventorum 
" damnosa imperitis refert." 

320. Ita turbine nigro, <^c] This 
no doubt is to be understood as a 
simile. The poet, to magnify the 
storm he is describing, represents it 
as whirling aloft the heavy corn with 
its ears and roots, just as an ordi- 
nary whirlwind would toss some 
light empty straw. Ruaeus seems 
to take the whirling up of the light 
straw to be a part of Virgil's storm : 
" Quae dissiparent in auras plenam 
" segetem extirpatam radicitus, tarn 
" denso nimbo jactabat procella 
" calamos leves, et stipulas vo- 
*' lantes." Dryden follows Ruaeus: 

The heavy harvest from the root is torn, 
And whirl'd aloft the lighter stubble 
born. 



74 



P. VIRGILII MAROXIS 



^t! c i7 a ^ th s e tubfS Ferret hyems culmumque levem, stipulasque 

Often also an immense flood -, «^ , 

of waters falls from the hea- VOianteS. 321 

vens, and clouds gathered out 

of the deep ;twcken the tem- Ssepe etiam immensum caelo venit agmen aqua- 
pest with black showers* the * & ^ 
lofty sky pours down, mm * 

Et fcedam glomerant tempestatem imbribus atris 
Collectae ex alto nubes : ruit arduus aether, 



The two following lines are hardly- 
intelligible, and have nothing but 
the word hyems in Virgil, to give 
them any sort of countenance. 

With such a force the flying rack is 

driv'n, 
And such a winter wears the face of 

heav'n. 

Dr. Trapp translates it as if by ita 
turbine was meant tali turbine : 

With such a giist a hurricane would 

drive 
Light, flying stubble. 

324. Collectce ex alto nubes.] Ser- 
vius thinks that by ex alto is meant 
from the north ; because that pole 
appears elevated to us. But, as Ru- 
seus justly observes, storms gene- 
rally come from the south ; and the 
poet a few lines afterwards says 
ingeminant austri. Some take ex 
alto to mean the upper regions of 
the air; of which opinion Dr. 
Trapp seems to be : 



-Gather'd clouds 



Brew the black storm aloft. 

But it seems most probable that 
Virgil means the sea ; out of which 
the clouds may properly be said to 
be gathered. In this sense Dryden 
has translated it : 

And oft whole sheets descend of sluicy 

rain, 
Suck'd by the spongy clouds from off 

the main. 

and Mr. B— 

Oft gather from the deep the thickening 
c.ouds. 



Ruit arduus aztlier7\ Servius takes 
this to signify thunder : Tordtribus 
percrcpat. I take it rather to be a 
poetical description of the greatness 
of the shower, as if the very sky de- 
scended. Virgil uses ruit, in the 
third iEneid for the going down of 
the sun : 

Sol ruit interea, et montes umbrantur 
opaci. 

In the fifth iEneid, he uses it for 
the falling of a great shower in a 
tempest : 



-Effusis imbribus atra 



Tempestas sine more furit : tonitruque 

vremiscunt 
Ardua terrarum, et campi : ruit asthere 

toto 
Turbidus imber aqua, densisque nigerri- 

mus austris. 

Martial uses ccelum ruehat, when he 
is speaking of a very great shower 
of rain : 

Imbribus immodicis caelum nam forte 
ruebat. 

Virgil is thought, in this description 
of a flood, to have had in his mind 
a passage in the sixteenth Iliad : 

Twy Vi vi •rd.vn; utv >rorctft.oi jr\r,§ov<r$ 

piavrts, 
UoXXa; $i xX/rt/j inr uiro'rux'yovri %aod,- 

liotzi, 
'F.j V a.'ka voo$vo%r l v fnyuXa 5i*te,%cv<ri 

p'hoveai 
'E£ h(>itov W) xio' jaivvSh ¥i T£ sgy' ivS-eu- 

ffttW. 

From their deep beds he bids the rivers 

rise, 
And opens all the floodgates of the skies : 
Th 1 impetuous torrents from their hills 

obey, 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



75 



Et pluvia ingenti sata laeta, boumquelabores 
Diluit: implentur fossae, et cava flumina cre- 
scunt 326 

Cum sonitu, fervetque fretis spirantibus sequor. 
Ipse pater, media nimborum in nocte, corusca 
Fulmina molitur dextra : quo maxima motu 



and with a vast quantity of 
rain washes away the joyful 
crops, and labours of the 
oxen the ditches are filled, 
and the hollow rivers sound- 
ing swell, and the sea boila 
with tossing waves Jupiter 
himself in the midst of the 
thickest darknes-- 'ance9 the 
thunders with his fiery right 
hand: with the violence of 
which the whole 



Whole fields are drown'd, and mountains 

swept away ; 
Loud roars the deluge till it meets the 

main ; 
And trembling man sees all his labours 

vain. 

Mr. Pope. 

In both poets are mentioned the de- 
struction of the fields, and labours 
of husbandry, and at last the deluge 
spending its force upon the sea. 

325. Sata laeta, boumque labores.] 
We find the same words in the se- 
cond iEneid, where he alludes to a 
torrent rushing down from the 
mountains : 



— — — Rapidus montano flumine torrens 
Sternit agros, sternit sata locta boumque 
labores, 

328. Ipse pater, &c.] The poet 
has already given us the whirlwind, 
the rain, and the deluge, which 
make as terrible description of a 
storm, as perhaps is to be met with 
in any other poet. But to increase 
the horror of his description, he in- 
troduces J upiter himself lancing his 
thunders, and striking down the 
mountains; the earth trembling, 
the beasts flying, and men struck 
with horror : then the south wind 
redoubles its violence, the rain in- 
creases, and the woods and the 
shores groan with the violence of 
the tempest. 

Nimborum in nocte.~\ Thus Lu- 
cretius : 

Usque adeo tetra nimborum nocte coorta. 

In is wanting in one of the Arunde- 
lian manuscripts. Pierius observed 



the same in some ancient manu- 
scripts; but he says it is nimborum 
in nocte in the Medicean and most 
other copies ; and prefers that read- 
ing as much more numerous and 
elegant. 

Corusca fulmina molitur dextra."] 
Servius, and after him some other 
commentators, make corusca agree 
with fulmina. Thus we find in 
Horace : 

Igni coruscb nnbila dividens. 

Ruaeus joins it with dextra. This 
also has a parallel in Horace : 



-Itubente 



Dextera sacras jaculatus arces. 

It appears to me more poetical to 
say that Jupiter lances the thunders 
with his fiery right hand, than that 
he lances the fiery thunders with his 
right hand. May has translated it 
in this sense : 

In midst of that tempestuous night great 

Jove 
From a bright Jiand his winged thunder 

throws. 

and Dr. Trapp : 

Great Jove himself, amidst the night of 

clouds, 
Hurls with his red right hand the forky 

fire. 

Dryden seems to follow the other 
interpretation : 

The father of the gods his glory shrowds, 
Involv'd in tempests and a night of 

clouds, 
And from the middle darkness flashing 

out 
By fits he deals his fiery bolts about. 
l2 



76 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



earth tremblei, the beast? are 
fled : the hearts of men in all 
nations are sunk with hum- 
ble fear : he casts down Athos, 
or Rhodope, or the high Ce- 
raunia with his burning bolt ; 
the south winds redouble: 
and the shower thickens ex- 
ceedingly: now the woods, 
and now the fhores resound 
with the vast wind. 



Terra tremit: fugere ferae : mortalia corda 330 
Per gentes humilis stravit pavor: ille flagranti 
Aut Atho, aut Rhodopen, aut alta Ceraunia telo 
Dejicit : ingeminantaustri,etdensissimus imber: 
Nunc nemora ingenti vento, nunc littora plan- 
gunt. 



and Mr. B , 

Amidst a night of clouds his glitfring 

fire. 
And rattling thunder hurls th' eternal 

sire. 

SSO. Fugere ferce: mortalia corda, 
&c] So I venture to read it with 
the Cambridge and one of the Arun- 
delian manuscripts. The common 
reading is fugere J "erae, et mortalia 
corda, &c. But the making a pause 
at force, and leaving out the con- 
junction, seems to me more poe- 
tical: 

Dr. Trapp justly observes that 
fugfre being put in the preterper- 
fect tense has a wonderful force : 
" We see, says he, the beasts scud- 
" ding away; and they are gone, 
" and out of sight in a moment." It 
is pity that learned gentleman did 
not preserve the force of this tense 
in his translation. He has not only 
used the present tense, but has di- 
minished the strength and quick- 
ness of the expression, which Virgil 
has made to consist only of two 
words fugere ferae, by adding an 
epithet to beasts, and mentioning 
the place they fly to : 

■ ■ Savage beasts to coverts fly. 

Dryden has been guilty of the same 
oversight : 

And flying beasts in forests seek abode. 

<e The Latin, says Mr. B — — , is as 
" quick and sudden as their flight. 
<: Fugere ferae, they are all vanished 
ie in an instant. But in Mr. 
" Dryden's translation, one would 
l< imagine these creatures were 



" drove out of some inclosed coun- 
" try, and were searching for en- 
" tertainment in the next forest." 

But Mr. B did not observe the 

beauty of the tense : 

Far shakes the earth : beasts jly : and 

mortal hearts 
Pale fear dejects. 

332. Atho.'] The King's, the Cam- 
bridge, the Bodleian, one of the 
Arundelian, and both Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts have Athon, the other 
Arundelian manuscript has Aion. 
Pierius observes that it is Athon in 
the Roman, the Medicean, and 
some other ' ancient manuscripts. 
Servius, Heinsius, la Cerda, Ruaeus, 
and most of the good editors have 
Atho. It is certain that the accu- 
sative case of &$*>$ is generally *3*>, 
though sometimes it is c&uv. The- 
ocritus has c&», in a verse of the 
seventh Idyllium, which Virgil is 
thought in this place to have imi- 
tated: 

r H "AB-u, *i 'Pobo'rxr, n Kauxetrer ttx»- 
ritvra. 

Athos is a mountain of Macedonia, 
making a sort of peninsula in the 
Mgean sea, or Archipelago. 

Rhodopen.] Rhodope is a moun- 
tain of Thrace. 

Alta Ceraunia.] The Ceraunia 
are some high mountains in Epirus, 
so called because they are frequently 
stricken with thunder: for xiexvn; 
signifies a thunderbolt. 

333. Densissimus imber.] One of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts has den- 
sissimus aether. 

334. Planguni.] Servius reads 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



77 



Hoc metuens, caeli menses et sydera serva : 335 JJoSi5y d^J , aJ?S e c2lI 

t-i • *J O * * j. 11 ^ ... stellations: observe whither 

r ngida oaturni sese quo stella receptet : the cold planet of satum re- 

.. . tires: into what circles of hea- 

QUOS lglllS Caell CyllenJUS erret 111 Ol'DeS. ven Mercury wanders. 



plangit, and interprets it resonare 
Jack: but he acknowledges that 
others read plangunt Pierius says 
it is plangit in the Roman and some 
other very ancient manuscripts ; 
and seems to suppose densissimus 
imber to be the nominative case to 
plangit. If this interpretation be 
admitted, we must render the pas- 
sage now under consideration thus: 
' ' The south winds redouble ; and 
*■ the exceeding thick shower now 
" makes the woods, and now the 
* shores resound." He adds, "that 
" in the Medicean copy plangunt is 
a paraphrased scindunt : thus the 
" verb must agree both with auster 
" and imber.' But to say either 
that the shower, or the south wind 
and the shower, make the woods and 
shores resound with a great wind, 
seems to me to be a tautology. If 
we were to admit plangit, I should 

rather with Mr. B understand 

Jupiter : though I think he is mis- 
taken in ascribing this interpretation 
to Pierius. Masvicius also has ad- 
mitted plangit: but as plangunt 
seems to be full as good as the other 
reading, and as it is generally re- 
ceived, I have chosen to adhere 
to it. 

33.5. Hoc metuens.] After this 
description of a tempest, the poet 
proposes two methods of avoiding 
such misfortunes : one by a diligent 
observation of the heavens; the 
other by a religious worship of the 
gods, especially of Ceres. 

Cceli menses.] By the months of 
heaven, I take the poet to mean the 
twelve signs of the zodiac, through 
each of which the sun is about a 
month m passing. 

336. Frigida.] Thus Pliny, " Sa- 
" turni autem sidus gelida? ac rigen- 



" tis esse naturae." Saturn may 
well deserve the epithet of cold, its 
orb being at a greater distance from 
the sun than that of any of the 
other planets. 

Receptet] Servius commends the 
skill of Virgil in making choice of 
this verb, which he thinks is de- 
signed to express Saturn's returning 
twice to each sign: "Sane perite 
" ait receptet, ut ex frequentativo 
" verbo nobis ostenderet Saturnum 
" bis ad unumquodque signum re- 
" verti, quod alii planetae minime 
" faciunt. Solus enim est qui et 
" longius a sole discedat, et bis ad 
" unumquodque signum revertat." 
Pliny has quoted this passage of 
our poet : " Ideo Virgilius erran- 
" tium quoque siderum rationem 
" ediscendam praecipit, admonens 
" observandum frigidae Saturni 
" stellae transitum." I cannot 
think Virgil is to be understood to 
mean, that we are to observe what 
part of the zodiac Saturn is in, 
and thereby to predict a storm. 
That planet is almost two years 
and a half in passing through each 
sign : therefore surely we are not 
to expect a continuance of the same 
weather for so long a time. I ra- 
ther think he means that we should 
observe the aspects of the planets 
in general: and mentions Saturn 
and Mercury for the whole number. 
Thus in a former verse he mentions 
Maia, one of the Pleiades, for that 
whole constellation : 

Multi ante occasum Maiae coepere. 

337. Ignis Cyllenius.] By the 
Cyllenian Jire he means Mercury, 
who was said to be born in Cyllene, 
a mountain of Arcadia. 

Erret.] The wandering of a 



78 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



First of all worship the gods, 
and repeat the annual sacri- 
fices to great Ceres, offering 
upon the joyful turf, when 
winter is ended, and spring 
grows mild. Then the lambs 
are fat, and then the wines 
are mellow ; then sleep is 
sweet, and the shades are 
thick on the hills. Let all thy 
rural youths adore Ceres : for 
her do thou mix the honey- 
comb with miik and soft 
wine ; 



In primis venerare Deos, atque annua magna? 
Sacra refer Cereri, lastis operatus in herbis, 339 
Extremae sub casum hyemis, jam vere sereno. 
Turn pingues agni, et turn mollissima vina : 
Turn somni dulces, densaeque in montibus um- 
brae. 
Cuncta tibi Cererem pubes agrestis adoret : 
Cui tu lacte favos, et miti dilue Baccho ; 3-14 



planet is a very proper expression ; 
the word being derived from nxd**, 
wandering. 

338. Annua magna; sacra refer 
Cereri.~\ The poet here gives a beau- 
tiful description of the Ambarva* 
lia ; so called because the victim 
was led round the fields : quod vie- 
tima amblret arva. In ver. 345. 
Virgil mentions it being led three 
times round. 

340. Casum.'] All the ancient 
manuscripts which Pierius had seen, 
except the Medicean, have casu. It 
is casu also in the King's, the Bod- 
leian, and in both Dr. Mead's ma- 
nuscripts. 

341. Turn pingues agni, et turn 
mollissima vina.] Pierius says that 
all the ancient manuscripts he had 
seen agree in reading pingues agni 
et, without a Synalcepba, and that 
some have tunc and others turn. He 
observes also that in the Medicean 
copy it is tunc in this verse, but in 
the next it is Turn somni dulces. 
In one of the Arundelian manu- 
scripts it is Tunc pingues agni turn 
sunt. In one of Dr. Mead's it is 
Turn pingues agni sunt turn. In the 
ether it is Turn pingues agni, el turn: 
which reading is admitted by Hein- 
sius, from whom I seldom deviate. 
The other manuscripts which I 
have collated, and most of the com- 
mon editions, have Tunc agni pin- 
gues et tunc. 

344. Miti dilue Baccho.~] Mont- 
faucon quotes this passage, to shew 



that Ceres and Bacchus were wor- 
shipped jointly. " Virgile marque 
" aussi le culte des deux dans les 
(i Georgiques, oii il parle des trois 
" tours qu'onfaisoitfaire a la victime 
" autour des moissons avant que de 
" l'immoler. Cette ceremonie des 
" trois tours etoit encore observee 
<e en d'autres sacrifices, comme nous 
" verrons plus bas : il met Ceres et 
" Bacchus ensemble, et dit que dans 
" la ceremonie on invoquoit Ceres 
" a haute voix." This learned au- 
thor seems to have viewed the pas- 
sage under our consideration too 
hastily, and to have taken Baccho 
to be put for the name of the god, 
and to be the dative case, coupled 
with cui. All the commentators 
agree, and I think it cannot be 
doubted, that Baccho is here put fi- 
guratively for wine, and that it is 
the ablative case, coupled with 
lacte. Nor could that famous an- 
tiquary be easily led into this mis- 
take, if he took Bacchus in this 
place to signify wine, by conclud- 
ing that the sacrifice must be to 
Bacchus, as well as to Ceres, to 
whom wine did not use to be offered, 
as some have imagined. For it is 
plain, from the account which Cato 
gives of the sacrifices before harvest, 
not only that wine was offered to 
Ceres ; but also that Bacchus was 
not one of the deities, to whom they 
sacrificed on that occasion. . " Pri- 
" usquam messim facies, porcam 
" praecidaneam hoc niodo fieri opor- 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



79 



Terque novas circum felix eat hostia fruges, 
Omnis quam chorus, et socii comitentur ovantes; 
Et Cererem clamore vocent in tecta: neque 

ante 
Falcem maturis quisquam supponat aristis, 
Quam Cereri torta redimitus tempora quercu, 
Det motus incompositos, et carmina dicat. 350 
Atque hsDC ut certis possimus discere signis, 
^Estusque, pluviasque, et agentes frigora ventos; 
Ipse pater statuit, quid menstrua Luna mone- 

ret, 
Quo signo caderent austri : quid ssepe videntes 



and let the happy victim be 
Jed thrice round the new 
fruits, accompanied by the 
whole crowd of shouting com- 
panions ; and let them loudly 
invite Ceres under their roofs : 
nor let any one put the sickle 
to the ripe corn, before he 
has crowned his head with 
wreaths of oak, and danced 
in uncouth measures, and 
sung songs to Ceres. And 
that we may know these 
things bv manifest tokens, 
both" heat and rain, and cold 
winds ; Jupiter himself has 
appointed what the monthly 
moon should advise, what 
should be a sign of the south- 
winds falling, what 



tC tet. Cereri porca pra?cidanea, 
* porco fcemina, priusquam hasce 
" fruges condantur, far, triticum, 
<( ordeum, fa bam, semen rapicium, 
" thure, vino, Jano, Jovi, Junoni 

" praefato Postea porcam 

' ' praecidaneam immolato. Ubi exta 
" prosecta erunt, Jano struem com- 
cc raorato, mactatoque item uti prius 
" obmoveris. Jovi ferctum obmo- 
" veto, mactatoque item uti prius 
" feceras. Item Jano vinum dato, 
" et Jovi vinum dato, ita uti prius 
" datum ob struem obmovendam, 
" et ferctum libandum. Postea Ce- 
" reri exta, et vinum dato." It is 
very certain that Ceres and Bac- 
chus were frequently joined toge- 
ther in the same sacrifice ; but it is 
no less certain, that this passage of 
Virgil is no proof of it. 

340. Torta redimitus tempora 
quercu.'] They wore wreaths of 
oak in honour of Ceres, because 
she first taught mankind the use of 
corn instead of acorns: thus our 
poet: 

Vestro si munere tellus 

Chaoniam pingui glandem mutavit arista. 

351. Atque haze, &c] La Cerda, 
and after him Ruaeus, and several 
ether, commentators, understand the 



poet in this passage to say, there are 
two ways of predicting the weather ; 
one by astrology, to which purpose 
he mentions the moon ; the other by 
common observation. But he has 
already insisted sufficiently on the 
use of the astrological science, and 
now intends only to shew the hus- 
bandman, how, without science, he 
may be able, in a good measure, to 
foresee the changes of the weather, 
and prevent the misfortunes that 
may attend them. Grimoaldus has 
justly paraphrased the passage 
under our consideration to this pur- 
pose : " Sed quoniam rustici ho- 
" mines, et operarii ex Saturni cae- 
" terorumque syderum conversioni- 
" bus parum aut nihil possunt col- 
" ligere, ea de tempestatum indiciis, 
" ac praenotionibus dicam, quae sunt 
" pene ad vulgarem popularemque 
<c sensum accommodata, &c." 

352. Pluviasque.] It is pluvias 
without que, in one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts, and in the old Nuren- 
berg edition: Grimoaldus also has 
the same reading. 

353. Moneref.] It is moveret in 
one of Dr. Mead s manuscripts, and 
in some of the eld printed editions. 

354. Quo signo.] l< Vel quo sub 
{t sidere ; vel melius quo indicio in- 



80 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



the husbandman often observ- 
ing, should keep their herds 
nearer the stall. When the 
winds are rising, either the 
straits of the sea work and 
begin to swell, and a dr) 
crackling is heard in the 
mountains ; or the far re- 
bounding shores begin to echo, 
and the murmur of the groves 
to thicken. 



Agricolae, propius stabulis armenta tenerent. 
Continuo ventis surgentibus aut freta ponti 356 
Incipiunt agit ita tumescere, et aridus altis 
Montibus audiri fragor ; aut resonantia longe 
Littora misceri, et nemorum increbrescere mur- 
mur. 



(( tell igi posset ventos deficere," says 
Ruaeus. I have already observed 
that Virgil has no astrological mean- 
ing in this passage: whence we 
must prefer with Ruaeus this latter 
interpretation. Dr. Trapp adheres 
to the former : 



Beneath what star 



Auster's rough blasts should fall. 

Caderent.] La Cerda observes, 
that from the context of Virgil it 
appears, that caderent must signify 
not the ceasing or falling of the 
wind, but its rushing down, to occa- 
sion storms. He quotes a passage of 
Terentius Varro in Sesquiulysse, to 
confirm this interpretation : Adversi 
venti ceciderunt, quod si pergunt di- 
utius mare volvere, vereor, &c. I 
cannot find that Virgil has ever used 
cado in this sense : but he has used 
it for the ceasing of the wind in 
the ninth Eclogue: 

Et nunc omne tibi stratum silet aequor, 

et omnes, 
Aspice, ventosi ceciderunt murmuris 

aura?. 

Mr. B 's translation agrees with 

La Cerda : 

When southern tempests rise. 

Quid.~\ Both the Arundelian and 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts have 
quod. Servius has the same reading, 
and it is in some of the old printed 
editions. Pierius says it is quid in 
the Roman and Medicean manu- 
scripts. 

S56. Continuo ventis, &c] Here 



the poet gives us the signs of the 
winds rising. 

It is more easy to admire than 
describe the beauty of these lines of 
our poet. The very motion of the 
swelling sea is expressed in these 
words, which seem to rise gradu- 
ally with the waves : 

-Freta ponti 



Incipiunt agitata tumescere. 

We hear the crackling of the moun- 
tains in 



-Aridus altis 



Montibus audiri fragor : 

and the rustling of the woods in 

—Nemorum increbrescere murmur. 

These beauties are too frequent in 
Virgil to escape the observation of 
most readers : but it would be un- 
pardonable in a commentator not to 
take notice of them. 

The swelling of the sea, the re- 
sounding of the coasts, and the roar- 
ing of the mountains are mentioned 
as prognostics of wind by Aratus, 
whom Virgil has imitated in his 
predictions of the weather : 

J?«a o i rei xvipoio xx) 6&xUovcx S-xXxtrrx 
TfyvioSa' xxi p.xxolv \it xlyixXoi $om»i- 

Tig, 

'Axrxi r ihxkiti, Ixor tubtot riXruvriu 
Tiyvovrxi, xcevfx'i rt fioupttxt ov^tes xx^au. 

357- Aridus fragor.] Pierius says 
it is arduus in the Roman manu- 
script. Aridus fragor means a dry 
crackling sound, like that of trees, 
when they break. 






GEORG. LIB. I. 



81 



Jam sibi turn a curvis male temperat unda ca- 
rinis, 360 

Cum medio celeres revolant ex aequore mergi, 
Clamoremque ferunt ad littora: cumque ma- 
rinas 
In sicco ludunt fulicse: notasque paludes 
Deserit, atque altam supra volat ardea nubem. 
Saepe etiam Stellas, vento impendente, videbis 
Prsecipites caelo labi, noctisque per umbram 
Flammarum longos a tergo albescere tractus. 



Now can the wave hardly for- 
bear the bending ships, when 
the cormorants fly swiftly 
from the middle of the sea, 
and come crying to the shore: 
and when the sea-coots play 
on the dry land : and the 
heron forsakes the well known 
fens and flies above the lofty 
clouds. When wind impends, 
you shall also often see the 
stars fall headlong from hea- 
ven, and long tracts of flame 
whiten after them through 
the shade of night. 



360. Jam sibi turn a curvis.] In 
all the manuscripts I have consulted 
the preposition a is omitted ; as also 
in many printed editions. Pierius 
says it is a curvis in the Pioman ma- 
nuscript. Heinsius retains the pre- 
position: and in the only passage, 
beside this, where Virgil uses tern- 
pero in the same sense, we find a be- 
fore the ablative case : 



-Quis talia fando, 



Myrmidonum Dolopumve aut duri miles 

Ulyssei 
Tempetet a lachrymis. 

361. Mergi.'] What Virgil says 
of the cormorant, Aratus ascribes to 

the i^Oi^loq. 

Kou km \<7t\ fyi(>r\v or \ocahio; eb xuru xo<r- 

ftov 
'Eg a,Xo; sg%*irKt, Quvy tfigl -ffoXXa. XaXn- 

Y.ivuy.ivou xt §KXuff<ra.i VTn^Qoqiotr an- 
f/uio. 

Now l^iog is generally understood 
to mean a heron : but La Cerda in- 
terprets it a mergus or cormorant. 
It is said to be called l^aotog quasi 
>>Xa}ios, because it delights in fenny 
places ; but this agrees with the he- 
ron, as well as with the cormorant. 
The same author will have the ccBvion 
of Aratus to be Xhefulica of Virgil, 
because they are so called, as he 
says, a fuligine, from their black- 



ness : though the ottSvia is generally 
thought to be the same with the 
mergus. The »27r<p»s of Aratus he 
takes to be the heron. For the 
learned reader's satisfaction I shall 
set down what Aratus has said of 
these sea fowl, immediately after 
the three verses just now quoted : 

Kai Tort xa) xitftpo/, h<xor iti^ioi iroviuv- 

rat, 
'Avriu fAtXXovrn/v avifttuv tlXr$oc, (pigovrai. 
UeXXccxt V uy^totiis vvfftrui, % ilv aXi Vivetl 
AlS'Jioii xi^ffoua. rivdcfftfovrut Wrt^vyifffiV. 

365. Saepe etiam stellas, &c] 
This prognostic of wind taken from 
the stars seeming to fall is borrowed 
also from Aratus : 

Ka) o*ia, vuxrec ftiXeavoiv or ufigts iuo'o'utfi 
TagQici, ro) V oViS-tv pupo) viroXivxotlvuvroiif 
Aidi^Sru.i xuvot$ avrqv o$ov i^o(jt.ivoio 
Ilvivftaros. 

Vento impe?idente.] One of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts has impellenie. 

366. Umbram.] So I read it 
with Heinsius. I find the same 
reading in the Cambridge and in 
one of the Arundelian manuscripts. 
In the- King's, the Bodleian, the 
other Arundelian, and in both Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts, and in some 
printed editions it is umbras. Pie- 
rius says it is umbram in the Roman 
and Medicean manuscripts; and 
prefers that reading. 



82 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



Often shall you see the light 
chaff and falling leaves fly 
about, or floating feathers 
dance on the surface of the 
■water. But when it lightens 
from the quarter of fitrce 
Boreas, and when the house 
of Eurus and of Zephyrus 
thunders; then all the coun- 
try swims with full ditches, 
and every mariner on the 
sea gathers up the wet sails. 
Never did a storm of rain fall 
upon any without giving 
them warning: either the 
airy cranes avoided it in the 
bottom of the 



Saepe levem paleam et frondes volitare caducas, 
Aut summa nantes in aqua colludere plumas. 
At Boreae de parte trucis cum fulminat, et 

cum 370 

Eurique Zephyrique tonat domus ; omnia plenis 
Rura natant fossis, atque omnis navita ponto 
Humida vela legit. Nunquam imprudentibus 

imber 
Obfuit: aut ilium surgentem vallibus imis 



368. Scspe levem paleam, &c] 
What Virgil says of chaff, falling 
leaves, and feathers, Aratus has said 
of the down of thistles. 

*HS>j xw <Xa.tf<7toi. ) Xzvxr,; y/joziov u.xkv^'/;g, 
~2>ifi,' lyivovr uvittev, xu<p>i$ a,Xog hvxirt 

zroXXoi 
Ax^ot itfivrXitacrt, <ra ft\v tfupo;, aXXtt o' 
It'iaou. 

370. At Borece, &c] In these 
lines we have the prognostics of 
rain, in which lines the poet plainly 
imitates Aratus : 

Avrccg or 1% iv^oio xccl ix vorov arguvrlycrtv, 
"AXXors V lx fyipvgoio, xai aXXorz z?xg 

fiopiuo, 
A»j ron <r)$ tfiXoiyu hi 0*110*11 vavriXog uvr,g, 
Ulri ft.iv, tjj fth %xy ir'iXayoSi T* o* £* A«j 

"To^xti ya£ rocrtrxih mp) <sipoiroCi Qogiovrui. 

The Cambridge, one of the Arun- 
del ian, and one of Dr. Mead's ma- 
nuscripts have aut instead of at, at 
the beginning of ver. 370. 

373. Legit.] Heinsius has legunt, 
in which, I think, he is almost sin- 
gular. 

Imprudentibus.'] Some interpret 
this unwise, as if the poet's meaning 
was, that these signs are so plain, 
that the most unwise must observe 
them. Thus Dryden : 

Wet weather seldom hurts the most 

unwise, 
So plain the signs, such prophets are the 

skies. 



But imprudens signifies not only 
imprudent or unwise, but also unad- 
vised, uninformed, or unawares, in 
which sense this passage is gene- 
rally understood. Virgil' s meaning 
seems to be, that the signs are so 
many, that none can complain of a 
shower's falling on him unawares. 

374. Aut ilium surgentem vallibus, 
&c] This passage is variously in- 
terpreted. Some take the prog- 
nostic of rain to be the cranes leav- 
ing the valleys, and flying on high, 
reading this passage gruesfugere ex 
imis vallibus. Of this opinion are 
Servius, Grimoaldus, Ruaeus, and 
several others. Dryden translates 
it in this sense : 

The wary crane foresees it first, and 

sails 
Above the storm, and leaves the lowly 

vales : 

and Dr. Trapp : 

1 Or them aerial cranes 

Fled, rising from the vales. 

La Cerda takes the meaning to be 
that the showers rise out of the val- 
leys ; interpreting it thus : " Grues 
" volatu suo altissimo indicant im- 
" brem surgere ab imis vallibus/' 
In this sense May translates it : 

For from the valleys, e'er it thence arise, 
The cranes do fly. 

Servius was aware of this inter- 
pretation, and condemned it: " D^'* 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



83 



Aeriae fiigere grues : aut bucula caelum 375 

Suspiciens patulis captavit naribus auras : 
Aut arguta lacus circumvolitavit hirundo : 
Aut veterem in limo ranae cecinere querelam. 



valleys as it rose : or the heifer 
looking up to heaven has 
snuffed in the air with wide 
nostrils: or the chattering 
swallow has flown round 
about the lakes : or the frogs 
have croaked out their an- 
cient moan in the mud. 



" autem grues, de vallibus surgere, 
" non pluviam de vallibus surgere." 
A third interpretation is, that the 
cranes left their aerial flight, and 
fled or avoided the coming storm, 
by retreating to the low vales. In 
this sense only Mr. B — has trans- 
lated it : 

Cranes, as it rose, fiew downwards to 
the vale. 

This interpretation is agreeable to 
what Aristotle has said, in the ninth 
book of his history of Animals, 
where treating of the foresight of 
cranes, he says they fly on high, 
that they may see far off, and if 
they perceive clouds and storms, 
they descend, and rest on the 
ground : Ek v^os ^irovroci, -zrgos to 
xocSogxv rcc -zrojipa. Koci leiv 'i^eotn v'zQyi, 
xcti %ii[M£ici, x.cn,roc,7Froi(r6Ci yiarv^cc^ovcriv. 
From this high flight of the cranes, 
we see the propriety of the epithet 
aerias ; and we also find that not 
their flying on high, but their 
descent is to be esteemed a sign of 
rain. Aratus also, whom our poet 
imitates in his signs of weather, 
says, the cranes leave their airy 
flight, and return in winding 
mazes : 

OuV v$ou yifw.vm (/.Bixoot.) ?i%ts ctbvk 

xikiv^oc 
liivovrar <?£o<pxhs Tt frakifcrBTis uvoveovrat. 

375. Aut bucula caelum, &c.] 
Thus also Aratus : 

Kui (lots ffi'/l rot fugo; venires IvYtoio, 
Ovgavou itffuvi^ovTts, cevr criSi^os ufftpgrjo'Kvre. 

Virgil has imitated and almost tran- 
scribed some verses of Varro Ata- 
cinus, which I shall here set down, 



as I find them in Servius, and 
Fulvius Ursinus : 

Turn liceat pelagi volucres, tardaeque 
paludis 

Cernere inexpleto studio certare lavandi : 

Et velut insolitum pennis infundere 
rorem : 

Aut arguta lacus circumvolitavit hi- 
rundo : 

Et bos suspiciens caelum, mirabile visu, 

Naribus aerium patulis decerpsit odo- 
rem: 

Nee tenuis formica cavis non extulit 
ova. 

These lines of Varro are undoubt- 
edly borrowed from Aratus; and 
the prognostics contained in them 
are in the same order, as in the 
Greek poet. Virgil has varied them, 
and made them more poetical. 

377. Aut arguta lacus, &c] Thus 
Aratus : 

"H Xtf&vnv zfft^i otiQx %tXi$ovss ai'tfo'ovrxiy 
Te&e'egt rvTTTovffat aureus uXvfjcivov v%u(>. 

This line of Virgil is exactly the 
same with one of Varro, quoted in 
the preceding note. 

378. Aut veterem in limo, &c] 
It is generally read et veterem : but 
Pierius observed aut in several an- 
cient manuscripts. I find aut in 
the Bodleian and in one of the Arun- 
delian manuscripts. We find this 
prognostic also in Aratus : 

"H fietXXov hiXat ytvia), uSgoiffiv ovuu£, 
AuroBiv i% tl^aros, 'Xa.Tigts (2oouo"i yvgivuv. 

As to the frogs croaking out their 
ancient moan in the mud, the poet 
no doubt alludes to the story of the 
Lycian countrymen being turned 
into frogs by Latona : which is men- 
tioned by Ovid : 

M 2 



H 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



Often also has the pismire 
making a narrow road brought 
forth her eggs out of the hid- 
den recesses ; and the rain- 
bow has drank deep ; and the 
army of rav.ns departing 
from their food in a vast body 
has made a great noise with, 
clapping their wings. Now 
may you see various sea-fowl, 
and those which search fev 
food about the Asian mea- 
dows 



Saepius et tectis penetralibus extulit ova 
Angustum formica terens iter : et bibit ingens 
Arcus: et e pastu decedens agmine magno 381 
Corvorum increpuit densis exercitus alis. 
Jam varias pelagi volucres, et quae Asia circum 



■Et nunc quoque turpes 



Litibus exercent linguas: pulsoque pu- 
dore, 

Quamvis sint sub aqua, sub aqua male- 
dicer e tentant. 

Vox quoque jam rauca est. 

379- Scepius et tectis penetralibus, 
&c] Thus Aratus : 

Keci xo'iXm p.ugfi7ixt$ o%ri; 1% via tfavra 
Qctirtrov avnviyxavro. 

See also the last of the verses quoted 
from Varro, in the note on ver. 375. 
380. Et bibit ingens arcus."] It 
was a vulgar opinion amongst the 
ancients, that the rainbow drew up 
water with its horns. We find fre- 
quent allusions amongst the poets 
to this erroneous opinion. I shall 
content myself with one quotation 
from the Curculio of Plautus ; where, 
as Lena, a drunken, crooked, old 
woman, is taking a large draught 
of wine, Palinurus says, see how the 
bow drinks ! we shall certainly have 
rain to-day : 

Ecce autem bibit arcus ! pluet 
Credo hercle hodie. 

Aratus mentions the rainbow ap- 
pearing double, as a sign of rain : 

"H ^tbvftv) tZ,eain $ia pzyav oh^aiov Jgi;' 

in which he is followed by Pliny : 
u Arcus, cum sunt duplices, pluvias 
" nunciant." 

382. Corvorum increpuit densis 
exercitus alis."] Thus also Aratus : 

An rtorz xa\ yivzai xo(>axm, xa) <puXa 
zoXoutf, 

T dares toy^ofiivato Atos vta^a fftift iyevovro, 
<E>a.ivo/&ivot ayiXiiha,, xa) \or\xi<firiv »[ju>7ov 
<&§iy\aft.i\ai' xal <sw xogaxis ^lov; ra~ 
kayfiils 



<$&>v7i ifiipr.tavra avv vharos \(>%ofiiveio' 
' H tots xat xgu^avrt /S«£s/jj *$io~ffxxt tyvrn 
Maxj>ev ivippoi^idff'i rtva\oifitvoi irrtga •zuxvu. 

383. Jam varias pelagi volucres, 
&c] Pierius says that in some an- 
cient manuscripts, the words are 
placed thus: Jam volucres pelagi 
varias ; and that in some it is atque 
Asia for et quae Asia. He observes 
also that it is varice in the Roman 
manuscript. I find the same read- 
ing in the Bodleian, and in one of 
the Arundelian manuscripts: but the 
grammatical construction will hardly 
allow it not to be varias. The other 
Arundelian manuscript has turn in- 
stead of jam. 

Aratus has mentioned this prog- 
nostic also of the water-fowl duck- 
ing themselves before rain : 

TLoWxxi Xi/LtvaTat ?j iivdXixi oaviB'ts 
"ATXn'S'ov xXv^ovrai ivrtftivai voanffrtf. 

Virgil seems to have imitated this 
verse of the second Iliad : 

'Afftu |v Xtifjtuyi, Kavvoiou eif&fi paSga. 

The Asia palus or Asius campus is 
the name of a fenny country, which 
receives the overflowings of the Cay- 
ster. The first syllable of this ad- 
jective is always long; as in the 
passage now before us ; and in the 
fourth Georgick : 

Atque Ephyre, atque Opis, et Asia 
Dei'opeia: 

and in the seventh iEneid : 

-Sonat amnis et Asia longe 



Pulsa palus. 
The first syllable of Asia, the name 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



85 



Dulcibus in stagnis rimantur prata Caystri, 
Certatim largos humeris infundere rores; 385 
Nunc caput objectare fretis, nunc currere in un- 
das, 
Et studio incassum videas gestire lavandi. 
Turn cornix plena pluviam vocat improba voce, 
Et sola in sicca secum spatiatur arena. 
Nee nocturna quidem carpentes pensa puellas 
Nescivcre hyemem : testa cum ardente viderent 
Scintillare oleum, et putres concrescere fungos. 



in the sweet lakes of Cayster, 
strive to pour a plenty of 
water over their shoulders, 
and now plungcinto the sea, 
and then run upon the waves, 
and wantonly wash them- 
selves in lay. Then does 
the unlucky crow call the 
rain with a loud voice, and 
wanders by herself alone on 
the dry sand. Nor are the 
maids who perform their 
nightly tasks ignorant of the 
approaching storm, when 
they seethe oil sputter in the 
lamp, land fungous excres- 
cences grow about the wick. 



of a quarter of the world, is short ; 
as in the second Georgick : 

Qui nunc extremis Asice jam victor in 
oris. 

Cayster or Caystrus is the name of 
a river of Asia, which rises in Phry- 
gia major, passes through Lydia, 
and falls into the iEgean sea near 
Ephesus. The country about this 
river, being marshy, abounds with 
water-fowl. Swans are frequently 
mentioned by the poets : Homer, 
in the passage to which we just 
now referred, speaks of geese, cranes, 
and swans : 



-OgviSwv tfinwm s&vtx TfoXXa, 



Xjjv&jv, 7i yio&vuv, vi xvkvuv dovXt^odil^uv 
'Ariu, &c. 

386. Undas.] Pierius says that 
some of the ancient manuscripts 
have undis, and others undas. One 
of Dr. Mead's manuscripts has 
undis, and the other has undam. 

388. Turn cornix plena, &c] The 
crow is mentioned also by Aratus : 

*H<rou xtti Xaui/fv^a zreto nim ztgoiifcovty 

ax^ov; 
"rifiovs ix xitp&Xq;' 7\ xai ftciXu 'sru.ffu. 
xo\v(i&a. / 

H sroXXvi fji^TW •zSot.g uhu^ ■zfu.^ta. xgu- 

The ancients thought that crows 
not only predicted rain, but called 



it. Thus Lucretius, speaking of 
the different voices of birds: 

Et partim mutant cum tempestatibus 

una 
Raucisonos cantus, cornicum ut saecla 

vetusta, 
Corvorumque greges, ubi aquam di- 

cuntur et imbres 
Poscere, et interdum ventos aurasque 

vocarc. 

Sometimes at change of air they change 

their voice : 
Thus dates, and om y nous crows, with va- 
rious noise, 
Affright the farmers; and Jill all the plain, 
Now calling for rough winds, and now 
' for rain. 

Creech. 

Servius reads rauca instead of plena; 
but plena is generally allowed to be 
the true reading. 

The Bodleian and one of the 
Arundelian manuscripts, after ver. 
388, have 

Aut caput objectat querulum venientibus 
undis. 

The King's and one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts have et caput, &c. In 
the Cambridge manuscript this verse 
is mutilated; Aut caput querulum 
j act at, &c. In the old Nurenberg 
edition et caput, &c. is added after 
ver. 389. 

3Q2. Scintillare oleum, et putres 
concrescere fungos.'] This also is 
mentioned by Aratus : 



86 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



Nor is it less easy to foresee 
unshovvery suns, and fair open 
weather, and to know them 
bv manifest signs. For then 
the light of tie stars does not 
»eem dim, nor doe* the moon 
teem to rise, as if she was in- 
debtedtoh-rb-other'sbeams : 
nor thin fleeces of wool seem 
to be carried through the sky. 
Nor do Thetis s beloved Hal- 
cyons spread open their wings 
to the warm sun, along the 
shore : 



Nec minus eximbres soles, et aperta serena 
Prospicere, et certis poteris cognoscere signis. 
Nam neque turn stellis acies obtusa videtur ; 395 
Nee fratris radiis obnoxia surgere Luna : 
Tenuia nee lanae per cgelum vellera ferri. 
Non tepidum ad solem pennas in littore pandunt 



Nvxra xara exorwv, p.r$ »Jv vtto %U(taro; 
Av%vuv aWert fi'tv rt Qao$ xara xoffpov 



"AWon V 
xovtyai 
Tlopipokuyts. 



hitrauffi* a<To Qkoyts, y,irt 



The sputtering of the lamps, be- 
ing occasioned by the moisture of 
the air, may well predict rain. 

393. Nec minus, &c] After the 
signs of wind and rain, the poet 
now proceeds to give us those of 
fair weather. 

Eximbres.] So Pierius found it 
in some ancient manuscripts. Al- 
most all the editions have ex imbri ; 
taking the poet's meaning to be that 
these are signs of fair weather fol- 
lowing the shower; or that they 
are to be observed during the rain. 
May's translation is, 

By no less true, and certaine signes 

may we 
Faire dayes and sunshine in a siormc 

foresee. 

Dryden has, 

Then after sko&'rs 'tis easy to descry 
Returning suns, and a serener sky. 

Dr. Trapp translates it, 

Nor less serenity succeeding shoxe'rs 
And sunny skies, by sure unfailing signs 
Thou may'st foresee. 

Mr. B — alone adheres to eximbres; 

Nor from less certain signs, the swain 

descrys 
Unshow'ry suns, and bright expanded 

skies. 



This reading seems more poetical 
than the common : and it is certain, 
that Virgil's meaning could not be, 
that these observations are to be 
made during the rain. At such a 
time it would be impossible to ob- 
serve the brightness of the moon 
and stars ; which are the first prog- 
nostics mentioned by our author. 

395. Nam neque turn stellis acies 
obtusa videtur."] Aratus mentions 
the dimness of the light of the stars 
as a sign of foul weather : 

r Hftos ^ artgoS-tv xa&agov $do$ £f*,€Xvviirai, 

396. Nec fratris radiis obnoxia 
surgere luna.] Servius thinks that 
obtusa is to be understood here ; and 
that the sense is, " For then neither 
u does the light of the stars seem 
" dim, nor that of the moon, which 
' e is beholden to her brother's beam." 
Ruaeus seems to have found the true 
meaning of this passage ; that * ( the 
" moon rises with such an exceed- 
" ing brightness, that one would 
" rather think her light to be her 
<c own, than only borrowed from the 
" sun." See Aulus Gellius, 1. vii. 
c. 17. 

397. Tenuia nec lanaz per caelum 
vellera Jerri.] By thin fleeces of 
wool the poet means the fleecy clouds, 
which Aratus mentions as a sign of 
rain: 

HoXXaxi y tg%8fiivw» lirui vtQta vcgaTa- 
07a ftctkic-a, Toxotffn ieixira IvtiakXovrat. 

398. Non.] In one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts it is nec. 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



87 



Dilectae Thetidi Alcyones : non ore solutos 
Immundi meminere sues jactare maniplos. 400 
At nebulae magis ima petunt, campoque recum- 

bunt: 
Solis et occasum servans de culmine summo 
Nequicquam seros exercet noctua cantus. 



nor do the filthy swine re- 
member to unbind and toss 
about the bundles of straw 
with their snouts. But the 
mists descend, and lie on the 
plain : and the owl observing 
the setting sun from the top 
of the roof, forbears to sing 
her nightly song. 



399. Dilectce Thetidi Halcyones.] 
The fable of Ceyx and his wife Hal- 
cyone being turned into these birds 
is beautifully related in the eleventh 
book of Ovid's Metamorphoses. The 
mutual love of these persons sub- 
sisted after their change, in honour 
of which, the gods are said to have 
ordained, that whilst they sit on 
their nest, which floats on the sea, 
there should be no storm. Some 
say this lasts seven days, others 
nine, others eleven, and others four- 
teen. Ovid mentions seven : 

Et tandem, superis miserantibus, 

ambo 
Alite mutantur. Fatis obnoxius isdem 
Tunc quoque mansit amor. Nee con- 

jugiale solutum 
Fcedus in alitibus : coeunt, fiuntque pa- 

rentes : 
Perque dies placidos hiberno tempore 

septem. 
Incubat Halcyone, pendentibus cequore 

nidis. 
Turn via tuta maris : ventos custodit, et 

arcet 
iEolus egressu: praestatque nepotibus 

eequor. 

•The gods commiserate : 



And change them loth, obnoxious to like 

fate. 
As erst they love: their nuptial faiths 

they shew 
In little birds : ingender, parents grow. 
Seven winter days with peaceful calms 

possesty 
Alcyon sits upon her floating nest. 
Then' safely saile : then Aeolus incaves 
For his the winds; and smooths the 

stooping waves. 

Sandsts. 

Hence they are said to be beloved 



by the sea-nymphs. Thus Theo- 
critus : 

X* aXxvons fogifivvn rot xvpara, reiv rz 

S-uXua-fftt,9, 
Tov r$ vorov, rav <r tv^ov os ttf%etra Quxia 

KIVt7. 

'AXxuov$Sy yXuuzuTg H'/igyi'itri rectrt f/,a- 
Xt$a 

Let Halcyons smooth the seas, the storms 
allay, 

And skim the floods before him all the 
way: 

The nymphs lov'd bird, of all that 
haunt the flood, 

Skim o'er the waves, and dive for swim- 
ming food. 

Creech. 

399. Ore solutos.] Servius says 
that some read ore soluto, that is, 
with very wide snouts or mouths. 
In this sense Mr. B has trans- 
lated it : 

Nor mindful are the swine, with jaws 
displayed 

To gripe the straw, and toss their rust- 
ling bed. 

403. Nequicquam.'] I have ob- 
served, in the note on ver. 192, that 
nequicquam is seldom used by Virgil 
for non: but here I think it is 
plainly used in that sense. Aratus 
says that the singing of the owl is 
a sign of the storms ceasing : 



■Nuangiii >y\uv% 



v HffV%oi> uiftovcra, f/.agxivoy/ivov %ti[tuvos 
Ttvi<rS-u roi ffvifia. 

Pliny says the chattering of the owl, 
in rain, is a sign of fair weather; 



88 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



s N gran dTcyt f i^^hedfor Apparet liquido sublimis in aere Nisus, 

the purple hair : 



Et pro purpureo poenas dat Scylla capillo : 405 



and in fair weather, of a storm: 
ft Grues silentio per sublime vo- 
" lantes [praesagiunt] serenitatem. 
" Sic noctua in imbre garrula: at 
" sereno, tempestatem." We have 
seen already , in the note on ex- 
imbres, that the prognostics here 
set down relate to the continuance 
of fair weather, not of its succeed- 
ing a storm. Therefore the silence 
of the owl is a sign of the continu- 
ance of fair weather. If we un- 
derstand the poet to be speaking 
during the rain, the hooting of the 
awl will be a sign of fair weather, 
according to Aratus. But then ne- 
quicquam must be wrong, whether 
we take it to mean not or in vain. 
If we understand the poet to speak 
of the continuance of fair weather, 
nequieqnam must signify not; be- 
cause, according to Pliny, the hoot- 
ing of the owl at such a time would 
be a sign of rain. May has trans- 
lated nequicquam, not : 

The fatal owle high mounted at sun-set 
Does not the balefull evening song repeat. 

Dryden has translated this passage 
most wretchedly : 

And owls that mark the setting sun, 

declare 
A star-light evening, and a morning 

fair. 

Dr. Trapp translates nequicquam, in 
vain : 

And now the bird 

Of night, observant of the setting sun, 
Sings her late song from some high 
tow'r in vain. 

" Nequicquam (says this learned 
" gentleman) for non is intolerable: 
" and Servius gives us no authority 
" for it but Persius's ; which, con- 
" sidering the obscurity of that 
" writer, is nothing at all. Besides, 



" it is well known that the music 
" of the owl (such as it is) is a 
" prognostic of dry weather. I 
" therefore take it thus ; that dark 
" bird delighting in rain and clouds 
" makes this noise, by way of com- 
<c plaint, not of joy (for it is a dismal 
" ditty indeed) at the approach of 
" fair weather : but does it nequic- 
" quam, in vain : for that weather 
" will come, for all her hooting." 
This interpretation seems to be very 
much forced, and not to be sup- 
ported by any good authority. 
Mr. B — 's interpretation is not very 
different. " Virgil embellishes this 
" mean subject in a very extraor- 
" dinary manner. When he is to 
" say that the hooting of owls at 
" night is a sign of fair weather, he 
" takes occasion to make a delicate 
" reflection upon superstitious peo- 
" pie. Owls were supposed by 
ci such persons always to forebode 
" some calamity by their noise ; 
u but now, says lie, they sing 
tf nequicquam, in vain; for nobody 
" is so weak as to expect bad wea- 
" ther from their music." 

404. Aere.] In one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts it is cethere: it is the 
same also in the Roman manuscript, 
according to Pierius. 

405. Et pro purpureo poenas dat 
Scylla capillo.] The story of Nisus 
and Scylla is related in the eighth 
book of Ovid's Metamorphoses. 
Nisus was king of Alcathoe or 
Megara. He had on his head a 
purple hair, in which the security 
of the kingdom lay. Scylla, his 
daughter, falling desperately in love 
with Minos, who besieged the city, 
stole the purple hair, and fled with 
it to him. But that just prince, 
abhorring the crime, rejected her*, 
with indignation, and sailed to Crete, 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



89 



Quacunque ilia levem fugiens secat aethcra 

permis, 
Ecce inimicus atrox magno stridore per auras 
Insequitur Nisus, qua se fert Nisus ad auras, 
Ilia levem fugiens raptim secat aethera pennis. 
Turn liquidas corvi presso ter gutture voces, 410 
Aut quater ingeminant; etsaepe cubilibus altis, 
Nescio qua praeter solitum dulcedine laeti, 
Inter se fohis strepitant : jurat irnbribus actis 
Progcniem parvam, dulcesque revisere nidos. 
Haud equidem credo, quia sit divinitus illis 415 
Ingenium, aut rerum fato prudentia major : 



wherever she flying cuts the 
light air with her wings, be- 
hold Nisus her cruel enemy 
pursues with a great noise 
through the air : where Nisus 
mounts the sky, she swiftly 
flying cuts the light air with 
her wings. Then do the ra- 
vens press their throats, and 
three or four times redouble 
a clearer sound ; and often re- 
joicing, in their lofty habita- 
tions, with I know not what 
unusual sweetness, rustle a- 
mongst the leaves : they de- 
light, when the showers are 
driven away, to revisit their 
little offspring, and their sweet 
nests. Not that I think they 
have any genius from heaven, 
or extraordinary knowledge 
of tilings by fate : 



leaving her behind. Scylla, in de- 
spair, plunged into the sea after him, 
and took fast hold of the ship. Her 
father, who had just been changed 
into the Haliaetos, which is thought 
to be the osprey, a rapacious bird 
of the eagle kind, hovering over her 
to tear her in pieces, she let go her 
hold, and was immediately changed 
into the ciris. Some take this bird 
to be a lark, others think it is a 
solitary bird, with a purple crest on 
its head, which continually haunts 
the rocks, and shores of the sea. 

406. JEthera.] In one of the 
Arundelian manuscripts it is aera. 

410. Corvi.] This prognostic of 
the ravens is taken also from Aratus: 

Kx) xogxxzs (/.ouvot fth, ifWtfjLOUoi (iocuvrt; 
Attrtrxxis. ccbra,^ bthtx (Airx^^'ox xixXn- 

HXuon^oi o kyzXrlhov Itm xostoio ftideovrat, 
<J><wv5js iftvrXtiot, %a'tguv xi ri? utcroiro, 
Oi« rk fih fioowffi, htycavofAivoicriv ofioTx. 
TloXXa. $1 $$v$/)<ioto ?ri(u (pXoov kX-Xot tv 

ccl-lv 
H-X,' ri tuowrit xai utforgovroi uvrregvovrai. 

413. Liter sefoliis.~\ So I read it 
with Heinsius, and most of the good 
editors. Pierius says it is inter se 
in foliis, in the Medicean and most 
of the ancient manuscripts. The 
preposition in is retained also in one 



of the Arundelian, and both Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts : but in the rest, 
which I have consulted, in is omitted. 
It is more agreeable to Virgil's style 
to leave it out. 

415. Hand equidem. credo, SfC.~\ 
Here Virgil speaks as an Epicurean : 
he does not allow any divine know- 
ledge or foresightto be in birds ; but 
justly ascribes these changes in their 
behaviour to the effects which, the 
alterations of the air, with regard to 
rarefaction and density, have upon 
their bodies. 

41 6. Rerum fato prudentia ma- 
jor.'] This passage has been vari- 
ously interpreted by the commen- 
tators. Servius interprets it, ' ' pru- 
" dentia quae est major rerum fato;" 
a knowledge which is greater than 
the fate of things. La Cerda ex- 
plains it much to the same purpose ; 
" prudentia quibus fata superent;" 
a knowledge by which they sur- 
pass fate. Ruaeus follows Servius : 
" prudentia quae potentior est fato." 
May translates it according to the 
same construction : but with a sort 
of paraphrase : 

I do not thinke that all these creatures 
have 

More wisedome than the fates to man- 
kind gave. 

N 



90 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



but when the storm and move- 
able moisture of the heaven 
have changed their courses, 
and the air moist with south 
winds cond n>es what just be- 
fore was rare, and rarities what 
was dense; theimiges of their 
m nd- are changed, and their 
bre sts now receive a difFe-enc 
impress : on, from that which 
they had w h n the wind drove 
away the clouds. Hence the 
birds join in concert in the 
fields, and the cattle rejoice, 
and the ravens exulting croak. 
But if you regard the rapid 
sun, and the moons which 
follow in order ; the next d iy 
will never deceive you, nor 
will you be caught by the 
snares of a fair night. When 
the moon first collects the 
returning rays, if she in- 
closes black air with dark- 
ened horns, 



Verum, ubi tempestas, et caeli mobilis humor 
Mutavere vias, et Jupiter uviclus austris 
Densat erant quae rara modo, et quae densa 

relaxat ; 
Vertuntur species animorum, et pectora motus 
Xunc alios, alios dum nub. la veulusa^ebat, 421 
Concipiunt. Hinc ille avium concentus in agris, 
Et laetas pecudes, et ovantcs gutture corvi. 
Si vero solem ad rapklum, lunasque scquentes 
Ordine respicies; nunquam te crastina fallet 
Hora, neque insidiis noctis capiere serenae. 426 
Luna revertentes cum primum colligit ignes, 
Si nigrum obscuro comprenderit aera cornu. 



Dry den's translation is scarce sense: 

Not that I think their breasts with 

heav'nly souls 
Inspir'd, as man, ivho destiny conirouls. 

Mr. B proposes a new inter- 
pretation, " major prudentia infato," 
or " in futuro;" and accordingly 
translates this passage, 

Not that I think the gods to them dis- 
pense 

Of things in fate a more discerning 
sense. 

Dr. Trapp is of the same opinion : 
f f Prudence greater than fate (as this 
f f is generally rendered) is flat non- 
" sense. Take it thus : A greater 
<c knowledge [than we have] in the 
" fate of things." His translation 
runs thus : 

Not that I think an ingeny divine 

To them is giv'n or prescience of events 

In fate superior. 

Grimoaldus seems to have found 
the true sense of this passage : that 
these animals have no particular in- 
struction from the gods, or superior 
knowledge by fate. 

418. Mutavere vias.] In one of 
the Arundelian manuscripts, itis mu- 
tavere vices. 



Jupiter uvidus.] So I read it with 
Heinsius: almost all the editions 
have Jupiter humidus. Masvicius 
reads uvidus. 

419. Densat.] La Cerda con- 
tends, that denset is the true reading.. 
I find denset in one of the Arunde- 
lian, and in one of Dr. Mead's ma- 
nuscripts. 

420. Pectora.] It is pectore in the 
Cambridge and in one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts. Pierius found pectore 
in several ancient copies : he ob- 
serves that in the Medicean manu- 
script pectore is written in a different 
hand. 

424. Si vero, fyc] Having shewn 
how the changes of weather are pre- 
dicted by animals, he now proceeds 
to explain the prognostics from the 
sun and moon ; and begins with the 
moon. 

428. Aera.] Pierius would fain 
read a'ere ; though he allows at the 
same time that it is aera in all the 
ancient manuscripts. He thinks 
nigrum agrees with cornu, because 
Varro has said obatrum cornu ; and 
then obscuro will agree with aere. 
The horn of the moon black with 
dark air would certainly not be 
amiss : but then there is some diffi- 



GEORG. LIB. L 



91 



Maximus agricolis pelagoque parabitur imber. 
At, si virgineum sufFuderit ore ruborem, 430 
Ventus erit: vento semper rubet aurea Phoebe. 
Sin ortu quarto, namque is certissimus auctor, 
Pura, Deque obtusis per caelum cornibus ibit, 
Totus et ille dies, et qui nascentur ab illo, 
Exactum ad mensem, pluvia ventisque carebunt: 
Votaque servati solvent in lilore nautae 436 



a great storm of rain will in- 
vade both iand and sea. But 
if she spreads a virgin blush, 
over her face, there will be 
wind : for gold n Phoebe al- 
ways reddens with wind. 
But if at her fourth rising, 
for that is the surest sign, 
she shines clear a d not with 
blunted horns, that whole 
day, and all the re.-t of the 
month will be free from rain 
and wind: and the sailora 
escaping shall pay their vows 
on the shore 



culty in making cornu follow com- 
prenderit. For though we may say 
the moon contains or incloses dark 
air with her horns ; yet we cannot 
say that the moon contains or in- 
closes her horns with dark air. 
Varro, as he is quoted by Pliny, 
speaks of the dark part of the moon's 
orb inclosing a cloud: Si caligo 
orbis nubem incluserit. This seems 
to be the same with the horns in- 
closing black air; si nigrum com- 
prenderit a'era cornu. Soon after 
he says ; if the moon rises with the 
upper horn blackish, there will be 
rain after the full ; nascens luna, si 
cornu superior e obatro surget, pluvias 
decrescens dabit. This I suppose is 
the passage to which Pierius alludes. 
Virgil has comprehended both these 
presages in one line : the latter be- 
ing fully expressed by the epithet 
obscuro added to cornu. The most 
that we can grant to Pierius seems 
to be, that his reading might be ad- 
mitted, if there were good authority 
for it. But, as he cannot produce 
one manuscript to justify it, and as 
the common reading is sense, and 
Very intelligible, I see no reason to 
make such an alteration. 

429. Agricolis.] La Cerda reads 
Agricolce. 

430. Virgineum.] La Cerda reads 
virgineo. 

432. Sin ortu quarto.] La Cerda, 
Ruaeus, and several other editors 
read orlu in quarto. But the prepo- 



sition is omitted in most of the an- 
cient manuscripts, according to Pie- 
rius. It is omitted also in the King's, 
the Cambridge, one of the Arunde- 
lian, and both Dr. Mead's manu- 
scripts. Servius, Heinsius, and se- 
veral of the old editors also leave it 
out. It is retained in the Bodleian, 
and in the other Arundelian manu- 
script. It is more agreeable to the 
style of Virgil, to leave out the 
preposition. 

Other authors differ from Virgil 
in this particular, and propose other 
days of the moon's age, as equally 
or more certain prognostics of the 
ensuing weather. The poet follows 
the opinion of the Egyptians, ac- 
cording to Pliny : Quartam earn ma- 
xime observat Mgyptus. 

434. Nascentur.] It is nascetur 
in the Roman, and nascuntur in the 
Lombard manuscript, according to 
Pierius. It is nascetur in the King's 
manuscript : La Cerda also has the 
same reading. 

436. Votaque servati solvent in li- 
tore nautce.] Pierius says it is ad li- 
tora in the Roman manuscript. 

It was a custom amongst the an- 
cient mariners to vow a sacrifice to 
the sea-gods on the shore, provided 
they returned safe from their voyage. 
This custom is alluded to by our 
poet in the third iEneid : 

Quin ubi transmissae steterint trans 

aequora classes, 
Et positia arte jam vota in littore solves. 
N2 



92 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



SSlSSa a Se P S?3 , iS Glauco, et Panopeae, et Inoo Melicert*. 

The sun also, both when he ■, • i«, • l 

rises, and when he dios him- bol quoque etexonens, et cum se condit m undas, 

self in the waves, will give ... 

gg ns j n th e surest signs attend Signa dabit ; solem certissnna signa sequuntur; 



But -when your ships rest wafted o'er tlie 

main, 
And you on altars raised along the shore 
Pay your vow'd offerings. 

Dr. Trapp. 

And again in the fifth : 

Dii, quibus imperium est pelagi, quorum 

aequora curro ; 
Vobis laetus ego hoc candentem in littore 

taurum 
Constituam ante aras voti reus, extaque 



Porriciam in fluctus, et vina liquentia 
fundam. 

Ye gods, who rule the ocean which I sail : 
Victor, before your altars on this shore, 
To you a snow white bull I will present, 
Obliged by vow ; and on the briny deep 
Scatter the entrails, pouring purest wine. 
Dr. Trapp. 

437. Glauco, et Panopece, et Inoo 
Melicertce.] This verse is taken 
from Parthenius, according to Aulus 
Gellius : 

TXxvxa, xa) Nygit, xa) uvuXiu UltXtxi^rri, 

Macrobius reads 'Ima instead of ihoc- 
Xii*. Lucilius also has almost the 
same words in one of his epigrams : 

Tkavxeo, xa.) N^s*, xa.) r lvo7, xa.) Mikixzpr'/i 

Kx) (iuS-in K^ov'ity, xa.) ^afioS-^i SioTs, 

1£w$t)$ tx viXayous hovxiWio;, u%i xixxo- 

fUU 

la.; roi^a; \x xitpxXr,;' uXko yu.% ou^iv 

Vjrgil leaves the vowels open, after 
the manner of the Greek poets. 

Glaucus was a fisherman, who, 
observing that his fish, by touching 
a certain herb, recovered their 
strength, and leaped again into the 
water, had the curiosity to taste of 
it himself: upon which he imme- 
diately leaped into the water and 
became a sea-god. Panopea was 



one of the Nereids. She is men- 
tioned in the fifth iEneid : 

Dixit ; eumque imis sub fluclibus audiit 

omnis 
Nereidum Phorcique chorus, Panope- 

aque virgo ; 
Et pater ipse manu magna Portunus 

euntem 
Impulit. 

Ino was the daughter of Cadmus, 
andwifeof Athamas,king of Thebes. 
Flying from the fury of her husband, 
who had already torn one of their 
children in pieces, she threw herself 
into the sea, with her son Melicerta^ 
They were both changed into sea- 
deities : Ino was called by the Greeks 
Leucothea, and by the Romans Ma- 
tuta: Melicerta was called by the 
Greeks Palaemon, and by the Ro- 
mans Portunus. 

438. Sol quoque, 8?c.~] In this pas- 
sage are contained the predictions 
drawn from the rising and setting 
of the sun. The three first lines are 
taken from as many of Aratus : 

'RsXioio Yi rot /xiXiru txursgS-tv iovtos' 
RiXiu xa) ftaXXov loixorx ai\fiaTX xiTrxi, 
'Afi^iOTi^ov, ^vvovn, xa) Ix Trzoams xvt'ovri. 

Condit.~\ It is condet in one of the 
Arundelian, and both Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts: several printed edi- 
tions have the same reading. I 
follow Heinsius. 

439. Sequuntur.'] It is sequentur 
in the Cambridge, one of the Arun- 
delian, one of Dr. Mead's manu- 
scripts, and in several printed edi- 
tions. Pierius says it is sequuntur 
in the Roman, the Medicean, and 
the Lombard manuscript, and thinks 
this the best reading. Servius, La 
Cerda, and some others read sequen- 
tur. Heinsius, Ruaeus, and others 
read sequuntur. 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



93 



Et quae mane refert, et quae surgentibus astris. 
Ule ubinascentem maculis variaverit ortum 441 
Conditus in nubem, medioque refugerit orbe ; 
Suspecti tibi sint imbres ; namque urget ab alto 
Arboribusque satisque Notus pecorique sinister. 
Aut ubi sub lucem densa inter nubila sese 445 
Diversi rumpent radii, aut ubi pallida surget 
Tithoni croceum linquens Aurora cubile ; 
Heu male turn mites defendet pampinus uvas, 
Tarn multa in tectis crepitans salit horrida grando. 



both those which he brings in 
the morning, and those when 
the stars arise. When at his 
first rising he appears spotted, 
and hid in a cloud, and with- 
draws half his orb ; you 
may suspect showers : for 
the south-wind pernicious to 
trees, and corn, and cattle, 
presses from the sea. Or 
when at his rising the rays 
scatter themselves diversly 
among thick clouds, or when 
Aurora rises pale, as she leave* 
the saffron bed of Tithonus ; 
alas, the vine-leaf will but 
poorly defend the ripening- 
grapes, so thick will horrid 
hail bound rattling upon the 
roofs. 



441. Maculis variaverit ortum.] 
Thus Aratus : 

Mw oi ToixiXXoiro viov (iaXXovros upovpuis 
KvxXos, or tbViov xi%i>vif*.ivos tifturo; t'/ys, 
Mrdi rt trrjpa ty'ipoi, Qetivotro Ti Xtros uTrutrn. 

442. Conditus in nubem.~\ Thus 
Aratus : 

M>?5' ors oi okiyti vstpiXyi vroigos uvriXXrien, 
Tvv Tt far axrivav xs%gao*fiivos attros as^SJj, 
' ' AfAvr,riiv virolo. 

443. Ab alto.] La Cerda explains 
this ab alto aere. Ruaeus interprets 
it e mari. Mr. B seems to fol- 
low La Cerda : 

The south comes pow'ring down. 

And Dr. Trapp : 

— Notus from above 
Threatens. 

See the note on collects ex alto nubcs, 
ver. 324. 

445. Sese diversi rumpent radii.] 
Pierius says it is rumpunt in the Ro- 
man manuscript; and rumpent in 
the Medicean, and other ancient 
manuscripts. It is rumpent in the 
King's, the Cambridge, and both 
the Arundelian manuscripts. Hein- 
sius, Masvicius, and several other 

I editors, have the same reading. 

! Servius, La Cerda, Ruaeus, and 
others read erumpent. 

This prognostic of the scattering 
of the rays of the sun is taken also 
from Aratus : 



'AXX' ol% o-r-rort xo7Xo$ tuiofavos 9tpi- 

riXXr,, 
ObV oTor axrivuv, al fciv vorov, ai Se (lopwot 
"Sfctfypsmi fiuXkojiri, ra S' aZ #tp) fikvaob 

Qouivy, 
'AXXk irou n virolo oiigxireci, >} aviftdio. 

446. Surget.'] So Pierius found 
it in the Medicean and other ancient 
manuscripts, though, he says, there 
are some that read surgit. One of 
the Arundelian, and both Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts have surgit. Almost 
all the printed editions have surget. 

447. Tithoni croceum linquens Au- 
rora cubile.] This verse is repeated 
in the third and ninth JEneids. 
Tithonus was the sonofLaomedon, 
king of Troy. Aurora, or the 
morning, is fabled to have fallen in 
love with him. Homer speaks of 
Aurora rising from the bed of Ti- 
thonus, in the eleventh Iliad : 

? Hai? S' Ik Xi%iav Tug ocyK'Jod TiB-uvoTt 

The saffron morn, with early blushes 

spread, 
Now rose refulgent from Tithonus' bed. 
Mr. Pope. 

448. Defendet.'] Servius reads 
defendit : but Pierius has observed, 
that it is the future tense, in the 
Medicean, and almost all the other 
ancient manuscripts. 

449. Tarn.] It is turn in several 
manuscripts : but tarn is generally 
received. 



94 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



It will also be more profitable 
to observe this, when the sun, 
having measured the heavens, 
is now going down : for we 
often see various colours wan- 
der over his face. The bine 
foretels rain ; the fiery foretels 
wind : but if the spots begin 
to be mixed with fiery red, 
then you may expect a storm 
of wind and fain. That night 
let none advise me to go upon 
the sea, or to loose my cable 
from the shore. But if his 
orb shall be clear, both when 
he brings on the day, and 
when he carries it back again, 
in vain shall you be afraid of 
showers, and you will see the 
woods wave with the clear 
north wind. Lastly, the sun 
will give you signs of what 
the late evening will produce, 
from whence the wind drives 
the bright clouds, what the 
moist south wind is meditat- 
ing. Who dares accuse the 
sun of falsehood ? he also often 
foretels the approach of dark 
tumults, and the growth of 
treachery, and hidden wars. 



Hocetiam,emenso cum jamdecedetOlympo,450 
Profuerit meminisse magis : nam saepe videmus 
Ipsius in vultu varios errare colores. 
Caeruleus pluviam denunciat, igneus euros : 
Sin maculae incipient rutilo immiscerier igni ; 
Omnia tunc pariter vento nimbisque videbis 455 
Fervere. Non ilia quisquam me nocte per alturn 
Ire, neque a terra moneat convellere funem. 
At si, cum referetque diem, condetque relatum, 
Lucidus orbis erit, frustra terrebere nimbis, 
Et claro sylvas cernes aquilone moveri. 460 

Denique, quid vesper serus vehat, unde serenas 
Ventus agat nubes, quid cogitet humidus auster, 
Sol tibi signa dabit : Solem quis dicere falsum 
Audeat? ille etiam cascos instare tumultus 
Saepe monet, fraudemque et operta tumescere 
bella. 465 



450. Emenso cum jam decedet 
Olympo, profuerit meminisse magis.] 
Thus Aratus : 

t Eo , tfi(jioi; xa) [/.xWov uXviOia rsxju.r,^aia. 

4>52. Varios errare colores.] The 
various colours of the sun are men- 
tioned also by Aratus : only, where 
Virgil speaks of blue, the Greek 
poet mentions black : 

' H u vrov fti\an~, xoci <rot to. f&iv, vSxro; '(<?u 
"Syftxrtz f&'iWovros' to. V IgtvS-ia ^ri.vr 

uvifjcoto. 
E*yt fih aftQorzgois ilftuSis x.z%(>uffpUos s"n, 
Kat xiv uBu(> Qogioi, xai vTwifAios ruvvoiro. 

456. No?i ilia quisquam, fyc] 
This kind of excursion is used by 
Virgil in other places. Thus in the 
second Georgick : 

Nee tibi tam prudens quisquam persua- 

deat auctor 
Tellurem Borea rigidain spirante mo. 

vere. 



And in the third : 

Ne mihi turn molles sub dio carpere 

somnos, 
Neu dorso nemoris libeat jacuisse per 

herbas. 

458. At si, fyc] Thus Aratus : 

E? y auru; xctSxgiv fttv %X 01 (^ovXv<rio; ugt), 
Avvai 5' a.vs<pt\e$ ftxXuxzv vroSutXos alyXniy 

461. Vehat.'] Pierms says it is 
ferat in the Koman manuscript; 

which he takes to have been put in 
by way of paraphrase. I find the 
same reading in the Cambridge ma- 
nuscript. 

462. Agat.] It is agit in the 
King's manuscript : but agat is cer- 
tainly much better. 

Quid cogitet humidus Auster.'] Pie- 
rius says that some would fain read 
quid cogat et humidus Auster : but 
that most of the ancient manuscripts 
have cogitat. 

465. Operta.~\ The Bodleian ma- 



GEORG. LIB. I. 95 

Me etir.m extincto miseratus Craare Romam, at^h^mSdefo7c t i e 5 d ar R > ome, 



nuscript has aperta. Dryden seems 
to have read aperia, for he trans- 
lates it open wars. But I have not 
seen aperta in any other manu 
script, or in any printed edition. 

In Mr. B- s edition it is operia, 

and yet he translates it audacious 
wars. 

466. Ille eiiam, &c.] Having just 
observed that the sun foretels wars 
and tumults, he takes occasion to 
mention the prodigious paleness of 
the sun after the death of Julius 
Caesar. Then he digresses into a 
beautiful account of the other pro- 
digies which are said to have ap- 
peared at the same time. But though 
he represents these extraordinary 
appe trances, as consequences of the 
murder of Caesar ; yet at the same 
time he shews, that they predicted 
the civil war of Augustus and An- 
thony, against Brutus and ( assius. 
The reader cannot but observe how 
judiciously Virgil takes care to shew 
that he had not forgot the subject 
of his poem in this long digression. 
At the close of it he introduces a 
husbaiidman in future ages plough- 
ing up the field of battle, and asto- 
nished at the magnitude of the bones 
of those, who had been there buried. 

Servius takes the prodigies here 
mentioned to have predicted the 
death of Julius Caesar; and men- 
tions a darkness of the sun, which 
happened on the fourteenth of 
March, being the day before that 
murder. He adds that this dark- 
ness lasted several hours : u Constat 
" autem occiso Caesare in Senatu, 
" pridie Iduum Martiarum JSolis 
" fuisse defectum, ab hora sexta 
" usque ad noctem. Quod quia 
" multis protractum est horis, dicit 
" in sequentibus, ceternam timuerunt 
" scscuki noclem." Ovid relates these 



prodigies, as preceding Caesar's 
death, but the greatest part of them, 
and especially the extraordinary 
dimness of the sun, are related by 
historians, as happening after that 
murder. Servius is generally un- 
derstood to mean an eclipse in this 
passage by the word defectics ; but 
it is no where mentioned as an 
eclipse, that I remember, nor can I 
guess upon what authority Servius 
could relate either that there was 
an eclipse about that time, or that 
it happened the day before Caesar's 
murder. Ovid speaks of a pale- 
ness of the sun : 

Phoebi quoque tristis imago 

Lurida sollicitis praebebat lumina terris. 

Pliny makes use indeed of the word 
defectus, but he cannot possibly be 
understood to mean what is pro- 
perly called an eclipse ; because he 
speaks of its lasting a whole year ; 
" Fiunt prodigiosi et longiores solis 
" defectus, qualis occiso dictatore 
" Caesare, et Antoniano bello, totius 
te pene anni pallore continuo." Ti- 
bullus also says the misty year saw 
the darkened sun drive pale horses : 

Ipsum etiam solem defectum lumine 

vidit 
Jungere pallentes nubilus annus equos. 

Plutarch, in his life of Julius Caesar, 
goes farther. He not only men- 
tions the paleness of the sun, for a 
whole year after Caesars death: 
but adds, that for want of the na- 
tural heat of the sun, the fruits 
rotted, without coming to maturity. 
Dryden has fallen into the error, 
that the sun predicted Caesar's 
death. 

He first the fate of Caesar did foretel, 
And pitied Rome when Rome in Caesar 

fell. 



96 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



when he covered his bright 
head with a dusky redness, 
and impious morta's were 
afraid tUe darkness would be 
eternal. Though at that time 
the earth also, and the sea, 
and ominous dogs, and fore- 
boding birds 



Cum caput obscura nitidum ferrugine texif, 
Impiaque aeternam timuerunt saecula noctem. 
Tempore quamquam illo tellus quoque, et 

aequora ponti, 
Obscoenique canes, importunaeque volucres 470 



467. Cum.] In the King's manu- 
script it is turn. 

Ferrugine.] Ferrugo does not pro- 
perly signify darkness, or blackness, 
but a deep redness. Thus ferrugi- 
neus is applied to the flower of the 
hyacinth, which is also crJled pur- 
pureus, the colour of blood. 

468. Impia scecula.] By scecula 
the poet means men, in imitation of 
Lucretius, who frequently uses that 
word, for kind, species, or sex. Out 
of many examples I shall select a 
few : in the fifth book he calls man- 
kind hominum scecla : 

Quod si forte fuisse antehac eadem 

omnia credis : 
Sed periisse hominum torrenti scecla va- 

pore. 

In the fourth book he calls the fe- 
male sex muliebre sceclum : 

Et muliebre oritur pa trio de semiue 
sceclum. 

In the second book, scecla is used 
for the several kinds of animals : 

■ 'Effbetaque tellus 
Vix animalia parva creat, quae cuncta 

creavit 
Scecla, deditque ferarum ingentia corpora 

partu, 
Haud ut opinor enim mortalia scecla 

superne 
Aurea de caelo demisit funis in arva. 

In the same book sceva scecla is used 
for beasts of prey , and bucera scecla 
for bulls and cows : 

Principio genus acre leonum, scevaque 

scecla 
Tutata 'st virtus, vulpes dolus, et fuga 

cervos ; 
At levisomna canum fido cum pectore 

corda, 



Et genus omne, quod est veterino semine 

partum , 
Lanigerasque simul pecudes, et luccra 

scecla 
Omnia sunt hominum tutelae tradita, 

Memmi. 

Cornicum scecla vetusta is used also 
in the same book for the species of 
crows. In the second book scecla 
pavo?ium is used for peacocks : 

Aurea pavon um ridenti imbuta lepore 
Scecla novo rerum superata colore jace» 
rent. 

I shall produce but one quotation 
more from this author, where scecla 
is used for inanimate things : 

Nam sua cuique locis ex omnibus omnia 

plagis 
Corpora distribuuntur, et ad sua scecla 

recedunt : 
Htimor ad humorem, &c. 

Virgil seems to have used scecula for 
mankind also, in the first iEneid : 

Aspera turn positis mitescent scecula 
bellis. 

470. Obsccenique canes.] Hein- 
sius reads obsccence, in which he is 
almost singular. Obsccenus amongst 
the augurs was applied to any thing 
that was reputed a bad omen. Ap- 
pian mentions dogs howling like 
wolves, after the death of Caesar. 
Ovid speaks of dogs howling by 
night in the forum, and about 
houses, and the temples of the 
gods : 

Inque foro, circumque domos, et templa 

Deorum 
Nocturnos ululasse canes. 

Imporiuncequc volucres.] Ovid 
mentions the owls as giving omens. 






GEORG. LIB. I. 



97 



Signa dabant. Qudties Cyclopum effervere in 

agros 
Vidimus undantem ruptis fornacibus iEtnam, 
Flammarumque globos, liquefactaque volvere 

sax a ! 
Armorum sonitum toto Germania caelo 
Audiit, insolitis tremuerunt motibus Alpes. 475 
Vox quoque per lucos vulgo exaudita silentes 
Ingens, et simulacra modis pallentia miris 



presaged. How often have 
we seen JEtna. pour a burning 
deluge from her bursten fur- 
naces over the fields of the 
Cyclops, and roll down globes 
of fire and melted stones! 
Germany heard a clashing 
of arms throughout the sky; 
the Alps trembled with un- 
usual shakings. A mighty 
voice also was frequently 
heard through the silent 
groves, and spectres horridly 
pale 



Tristia mille locis Stygius dedit omina 
bubo. 

Some omens of birds are mentioned 
by the historians, as preceding the 
death of Caesar. 

474. Armorum sonitum toto Ger- 
mania ccelo audiit.'] Ovid speaks of 
the clashing of arms, and the noise 
of trumpets and horns : 

Anna ferunt inter nigras crepitantia 

nubes, 
Terribilesque tubas, auditaque cornua 

caelo 
Presmonuisse nefas. 

Appian also mentions great shouts 
in the air, and clashing of arms, and 
rushing of horses. Perhaps this 
was some remarkable Aurora bore- 
alis seen about that time in Ger- 
many. The learned M. Celsius, 
professor of astronomy at Upsal in 
Sweden, has assured me, that in 
those northern parts of the world, 
during the appearance of an Aurora 
borealis, he has heard a rushing 
sound in the air, something like the 
clapping of a bird's wings. Before 
these phaenomena were so frequent 
amongst us as they now are, it was 
no unusual thing for the common 
people to take them for armies 
fighting in the air. 

475. Motibus.'] The King's, and 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts, and 
Schrevelius, read montibus. 

47o. Vox quoque per lucos vulgo 
exaudita silentes ingens."] In the 



King's manuscript it is vulgo est 
audita. 

La Cerda is of opinion that the 
mighty voice heard in the groves, 
of which Virgil here speaks, was 
the voice of the gods leaving, or 
threatening to leave, their habita- 
tions. He understands Ovid to 
mean the same thing, when he 
speaks of threatening words being 
heard in the sacred groves : 

Cantusque feruntur 

Auditi, Sanctis et verba minacia lucis. 

He takes this to be farther explained 
by a passage in Tibullus, lib. ii. eleg. 
5. where he says the groves foretold 
a flight : 

Atque tubas, atque arma ferunt strepi- 

tantia caelo 
Audita, et lucos prsecinuisse fugam. 

The threatening words, says he, of 
Ovid are explained by the flight of 
the gods in Tibullus. He strength- 
ens this observation by a quotation 
from Josephuss seventh book of 
the Jewish war; where, speaking 
of the prodigies, which preceded 
the destruction of Jerusalem, he 
says the priests heard a voice in 
the night-time, saying, Let us go 
hence. 

477. Simulacra modis pallentia 
miris visa sub obscurum noctis.'] 
Thus Lucretius : 

Sed quaedam simulacra modis pallentia 



9S 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



were seen in the dusk of even- 
ing, and cattle spoke, a dire 
omen ! the rivers stop, and 
the earth gapes : and the 
mournful ivory weeps in the 
temples, and the brazen sta- 
tues sweat. Eridanus, the 
king of rivers, whirling down 
whole woods with his mad 
torrent, poured forth, and 
bore away the herds with 
their stalls all over the plains: 
nor at the same time 



Visa sub obscurum noctis, pecudesque locutae, 
Infandum ! sistunt amnes, terraeque dehiscunt : 
Et moestum illacrymat templis ebur, seraque 
sudant. 480 

Proluit insano contorquens vortice sylvas 
Fluviorum Rex Eridanus, camposque per omnes 
Cum stabulis armenta tulit : nee tempore eodem 



Plutarch speaks of ghosts walking 
in the night, before Caesar's death. 
Ovid also mentions the same thing: 



Umbrasque silentum 



Erravisse ferunt. 

478. Pecudesque locutce.] By pe- 
cudes the poet seems to mean oxen : 
for those are the cattle, which are 
said to have spoken on this occa- 
sion. Appian says expressly that 
an ox spoke with human voice. 
Tibullus also mentions oxen : 

Fataque vocales praemonuisse boves. 

479- Sistunt amnes.'] Horace men- 
tions the overflowing of the Tiber 
at this time : 

Vidimus flavum Tiberim, retortis 
Littore Etrusco violenter undis, 
Ire dejectum raonumenta regis 

Templaque Vestas : 
Iliae dum se nimium querenti 
Jactat ultorem ; vagus, et sinistra 
Labitur ripa, Jove non probante, 

Uxorius amnis. 

Terrceque dehiscunt.'] Ovid men- 
tions an earthquake at Rome : 

— — Motamque tremoribus urbem. 

480. Et moestum illacrymat templis 
ebur oeraque sudant.~\ <( In the an- 
" cient oblong manuscript it is lacri- 
" mat. But in the Roman, Medi- 
" cean, and some other ancient ma- 
" nuscripts it is illacrimat, which is 
" more like Virgil. For our poet 
" loves to join to the verbs those 
" prepositive particles which he has 



" taken from before the nouns." 
Pierius. 

Appian says that some statues 
sweated, and that some even 
sweated blood. Ovid mentions the 
ivory images sweating in a thou- 
sand places : 

Mille locis lacrymavit ebur. 

Tibullus speaks of the statues of 
the gods weeping : 

Et simulacra Deum lacrymas fudisse 
tepentes. 

482. Fluviorum Rex Eridanus.'] 
The two first syllables of fluviorum 
are short: the poet therefore puts 
two short syllables for one long one. 
Dr. Trapp observes that this redun- 
dancy of the syllables elegantly ex- 
presses the overflowing of the river: 
and has accordingly imitated it in 
his version : 

Eridanus supreme of rivers. 

Eridanus is the Greek name for the 
Po. It rises from the foot of Vesu- 
lus, one of the highest mountains of 
the Alps, and passing through the 
Cisalpine Gaul, now part of Italy, 
it falls into the Adriatic sea, or 
gulf of Venice. It is the largest 
and most famous of all the rivers 
of Italy ; whence Virgil calls it the 
king of rivers, see Pliny, lib. iii. 
c. 16. 

483. Tulit] In the King's ma- 
nuscript it is trahit. 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



99 



Tristibus aut extis fibrae apparere minaces ; 
Aut puteis manare cruor cessavit ; et alte 485 
Per noctem resonare, lupis ululantibus, urbes. 
Non alias caelo ceciderunt plura sereno 
Fulgura ; nee diri toties arsere cometae. 



did threatening fibre* fail to 
appear in the sad entrails ; or 
wells to flow with blood ; and 
cities loudly to resound with 
howling wolves by night. 
Never did more lightnings 
fall from a clear sky; nor 
dreadful comets so often 
blaze. 



484. Tristibus aut extis Jibrce ap- 
parere minaces.'] Several authors 
mention a victim wanting a heart, 
before Caesar's death. Ovid adds 
that none of the sacrifices were pro- 
pitious : 

Victima nulla litat : magnosque instare 

tumultus 
Fibra monet. 

485. Puteis manare cruor.] Ovid 
speaks of its raining blood : 

Saepe inter nimbos guttae cecidere cru- 
entae. 

Alte per noctem resonare lupis ulu- 
lantibus urbes.'] Servius reads altce, 
and interprets it magnce. If this 
reading be admitted, we must render 
this passage, and great cities to re- 
sound with howling wolves by night. 

Appian mentions wolves running 
along the Forum. La Cerda thinks 
that the poet means by wolves the 
ghosts of the departed. In confirma- 
tion of this he quotes some passages 
where the verb ululare is applied to 
spectres. But that real wolves 
should come into the cities seems 
no more improbable than many of 
the other prodigies. 

487- Non alias caelo ceciderunt 
plura serenoJulgura.~] Thunder from 
a clear sky was always looked upon 
as a prodigy by the ancients: 
though not always accounted an ill 
omen. Horace speaks of Jupiter's 
sending a great deal of snow and 
hail on this occasion, and affrighting 
the city with his thunder and light- 
ning: 

Jam satis terris nivis, atque dirae 
Grandinis misit Pater : et rubente 



Dextera sacras jaculatus arces, 

Terruit urbem. 

Appian also mentions the temples 
and statues of the gods being fre- 
quently stricken with thunder-bolts. 
488. Nee diri toties arsere cometce.] 
Comets are to this day vulgarly re- 
puted dreadful presages of future 
wars. Thus Tibullus : 

Hae fore dixerunt belli mala signa 
cometen. 

Virgil is generally thought to mean 
that comet which appeared for seven 
nights after Caesar's death. But he 
speaks of several comets : where- 
fore I rather believe he means some 
fiery meteors, which were seen about 
that time. Ovid calls them torches : 

Saepe faces visae mediis ardere sub astris. 

Besides, the famous comet, which is 
said to have appeared for seven 
days, was esteemed a good omen, 
and was fancied to be Caesar's soul 
converted into a blazing star by 
Venus. Thus Ovid: 

Vix ea fatus erat ; media cum sede Se- 

natus 
Constitit alma Venus nulli cemenda: 

suique 
Caesaris eripuit membris, nee in a6ra 

solvi 
Passa recentem animam, caelestibus in- 

tulit astris, 
Dumque tulit; lumen capere, atque 

ignescere sensit : 
Emisitque sinu. Luna volat altius ilia : 
Flammiferumque trahens spatioso limite 

crinem 
Stella micat. 

This said : invisible faire Venus stood 
Amid the Senate ; from his corpse, with 
blood 

o2 



100 P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

SdX m Philippi a 8e * Er g° inter s ^ se paribus concurrere telis 



DeflPd, her Caesar* s new -fled spirit "bare 
To lieaven, nor suffered to resolve to aire. 
Andy as in her soft bosom borne, she might 
Perceive it take a powre, and gather light, 
TJien once let loose, it forthwith upward 

flew; 
And after it long blazing tresses drew. 

Sandys, 

Pliny says it was worshipped in a 
temple at Rome, and has set down 
the very words in which Augustus 
Caesar gave an account of this co- 
met's appearing., whilst he was cele- 
brating the games to Venus genitrix, 
soon after Caesar's death, in the col- 
lege which he had founded : tf lis 
" ipsis ludorum meorum diebus, 
" sidus crinitum per septem dies 
" in regione caeli, quae sub septen- 
" trionibus est, conspectum. Id 
" oriebatur circa undecimam horam 
" diei, clarumque et omnibus terris 
t( conspicuum fuit. Eo sidere sig- 
** nificari vulgus credidit, Caesaris 
" animam inter deorum immorta- 
" Hum numina receptam : quo no- 
" mine id insigne simulacro capitis 
tf ejus, quod mox in foro consecra- 
" vimus, adjectum est/' We see 
here that Augustus does not mention 
this star, or comet, as being the soul 
of Caesar, but only as a sign, that his 
soul was received into the number 
of the gods. Yet Suetonius, after 
Ovid, has related it to have been 
thought the very soul of Caesar: 
" In deorum numerum relatus est, 
fe non ore modo decernentium, sed 
<c et persuasione vulgi. Siquidem 
" ludis, quos primo consecratos ei 
u haeres Augustus edebat, Stella cri- 
" nita per septem dies continuos 
" fulsit, exoriens circa undecimam 
<f horam. Creditumque est, animam 
" esse Caesaris in caelum recepti : et 
" hac de causa simulacro ejus in 
" vertice additur Stella." Cicero 
however, in his second book de 
natura deorum, mentions the appear- 



ance of some comets, in Augustus's 
war, which were predictions of great 
calamities : " Stellis iis, quas Graeci 
' e cometas, nostri crinitas vocant : 
" quae nuper bello Octaviano, mag- 
" narum calamitatum fuerunt prae- 
" nuntiae." Before we part with 
these prodigies, it may not be amiss 
to observe, that it is very common 
not only with poets, but with his- 
torians also, to introduce them as 
attending upon great wars, and 
especially upon the destruction of 
cities and great persons. Lucan 
makes them wait on the battle of 
Pharsalia, and Josephus is not 
sparing of them at the destruction 
of Jerusalem. The wisest men 
however amongst the ancients had 
little faith in them : and only made 
use of them to lead the superstitious 
vulgar. Virgil has related them as 
a poet, with a design to flatter his 
patron Augustus : for it cannot be 
supposed that he, who was not only 
a philosopher, but an epicurean 
also, could have any real faith in 
such predictions. If historians 
have thought it not unbecoming 
their gravity to make such relations, 
surely a poet may be indulged in 
making use of popular opinions, 
when they serve to adorn his work, 
and ingratiate himself with those, 
who have inclination and power to 
confer benefits upon him. 

489- Ergo inter sese, &c] There 
seems to be no small difficulty, in 
explaining what Virgil means, by 
saying Philippi saw two civil wars 
between the Romans, and Emathia 
and the plains of Haemus were twice 
fattened with Roman blood. Ruaeus 
says that he once was of opinion, 
that Virgil alluded to the two battles 
foughtnear Philippi, within a month 
of each other ; in the first of which 
Cassius was routed, and in the se- 



GEORG. LIB. L 



101 



Romanas acies iterum videre Philippi 



4Q0 see the Roman forces engage 
^ Jvy with equal arms : 



cond Brutus. But that learned 
commentator gives up this inter- 
pretation; because he thinks the 
fields cannot be said to have been 
twice fattened in one year. He 
seems to me to give it up on rather 
too slight grounds: and I cannot 
help allowing it as no ill solution of 
the difficulty. It is however very 
probable, that the poet alludes to 
the two great civil wars, the first of 
which was decided at Pharsalia, and 
the latter at Philippi. This is gene- 
rally allowed to be Virgil's meaning: 
but then the great distance between 
those two places causes an almost 
inextricable difficulty. Servius in- 
deed says that both battles were 
fought at Philippi, and makes it a 
city of Thessaly : " Philippi civitas 
" est Thessaliae ; in qua primo Cae- 
" sar et Pompeius, postea Augustus 
" et Brutus cum Cassio dimicave- 
" runt." Some others, as Ruaeus 
observes, finding in Stephanus, that 
the Thessalian Thebes, near Phar- 
salus, was also called Philippi, have 
supposed this to be the place, 
where Brutus and Cassius were 
overthrown. But this is certainly 
a mistake, for whosoever rightly 
considers the account delivered by 
historians of that overthrow, will 
find that no other Philippi could 
be meant, but that which is on 
the confines of Thrace, and by some 
authors is placed in Thrace, and by 
others in Macedon. Plutarch plainly 
describes the march of Brutus and 
Cassius from Asia through Thrace, 
to the plains of Philippi. There 
they were near destroying Norbanus , 
who was encamped near Symbolon, 
a port of Thrace. He mentions their 
being at this time on the coasts of 
Thassus, which is an island between 
Lemnos and Abdera, a city of 
Thrace. Cassius also was sent to 



Thassus to be buried. The situation 
of Pharsalia is no less evidently in 
Thessaly, being described by Julius 
Caesar himself, as near Larissa : and 
besides he says expressly that the 
decisive battle between him and 
Pompey was fought in Thessaly. 
Hence it appears, that the whole 
country. of Macedon lay between 
the fields in which those great 
battles were fought. Ruaeus has 
thought of a new way to resolve 
the difficulty. He refers iterum, 
not to Philippi, but to the Roman 
armies ; and makes the sense to be, 
that Philippi saw the Roman armies 
engage a second time: that it was 
indeed the first time, that Philippi 
saw them engage, but that it was 
the second time of their engaging. 
This solution is very ingenious: 
but it seems to be attended with 
another difficulty. The poet imme- 
diately adds, that Emathia and the 
plains of Haemus were twice fattened 
with Roman blood. Servius says 
Emathia is Thessaly : " Emathia 
" Thessalia est, dicta ab Emathio 
" rege." If this be true, Emathia 
cannot be said to have been twice 
fattened with Roman blood : it hav- 
ing been already proved, that the 
second war was in Thrace. Be- 
sides Virgil mentions the plains of 
Haemus, which every body knows to 
be in Thrace. But Pliny expressly 
says that Macedon was anciently 
called iEmathia : " Macedonia post- 
" ea cl populorum, duobus inclyta 
" regibus quondamque terrarum 
" imperio, iEmathia antea dicta." 
Ruaeus justly observes, that Mace- 
don may be said to have been twice 
fattened with Roman blood; be- 
cause the plains of Philippi and 
Pharsalia are both on the confines of 
Macedon. But this learned com- 
mentator's interpretation with re- 



102 P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

Kt *£& god9 ^ l€uti Nee fuit indignum superis, bis sanguine nostro 



gard to Haemus seems not very 
clear. He would have bis to refer 
only to Emathia, and not to Hae- 
mus : as if Virgil had said, Emathia 
was twice fattened with Roman blood, 
but above all mount Hcemus once. I 
cannot be persuaded that the poet 
had so obscure a meaning, which 
seems little better than a mere 
quibble. 

For my part, I believe Virgil is 
to be understood as using the lati- 
tude of a poet, not the exactness of 
a historian, or a geographer. He 
seems to have considered all that 
part of Greece, which contains 
Thessaly, Epirus, and Macedon, 
quite to the foot of mount Haemus, 
as one country. Strabo the geo- 
grapher tells us that some reckon 
Epirus a part of Macedon : eviei SI 
xcci <rv[t7roi<rc&v rw f&t%(>i Kopkv^x?, Mes- 
xidovixv 7ir^o<roe,yo^zvov<riy : and Pompo- 
nius Mela seems to speak of Thes- 
saly as a part also of Macedon: 
" In Macedonia prima est Thes- 
' ' salia ; deinde Magnesia, Phthi- 
" otis." Nor is Virgil singular in 
ascribing both wars to the same 
tract of land. Ovid introduces Ju- 
piter comforting Venus at the death 
of Julius Caesar, and telling her that 
Phar salia shall feel Augustus, and 
that Philippi shall be moistened 
with a second Emathian slaughter : 

Pharsalia sentiet ilium, 

JEmathiaque iterum madefient csede Phi- 
lippi. 

Lucan mentions the seat of the war 
between Caesar and Pompey, some- 
times under the name of Emathia, 
and sometimes of Thessaly. He be- 
gins his poem with 

Bella per Emathios plus quam civilia 
campos. 

In the sixth book he gives a parti- 
cular description of Thessaly, as the 



field of battle, and represents Phar- 
salus, as belonging to Emathia : 

regnum Pharsalos 



Emathis aequorei 
A chillis. 



In the seventh book, when the trum- 
pets sound to battle, he makes not 
only Pelion, Pindus, and iEta, but 
also Haemus and Pangaea, which are 
mountains of Thrace, to re-echo: 

Excepit resonis clamorem vallibus iEmus, 

Peliacisque dedit rursus geminare ca- 
vernis : 

Pindus agit gemitus, Pangaeaque saxa re- 
sultant, 

(Etseaeque gemunt rupes. 

At the end of this book, he men- 
tions a great part of the Romans 
being mixed with the Emathian 
soil : and then makes an apostrophe 
to that country under the name of 
Thessaly, and prophesies that its 
fields will be fattened a second time 
with Roman blood : 

Latiae pars maxima turbae 

Fastidita jacet ; quam sol, nimbique, 

diesque 
Longior Emathiis resolutam miscuit 

arvis. 
TJ/£ssalica infelix, quo tanto crimine 

tellus 
Laesisti superos, ut ne tot mortibus 

unam, 
Tot scelerum fatis premerent ? quod 

sufficit 32YUm, 
Immemor ut donet belli tibi damna ve- 

tustas ? 
Quae seges infecta surget non decolor 

herba ? 
Quo non Romanos violabis vomere 

manes ? 
Ante novce venient acies, scelerique se- 

cundo 
Praestabis nondum siccos hoc sanguine 

campos. 

In the eighth book he calls Phi- 
lippi Emathian : 

Credet ab Emathiis primos fugisse Phi- 
lippis. 

In the first book he had described 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



103 



Emathiam, et latos Haemi pinguescere campos. 
Scilicet et tempus veniet, cum finibus illis 
Agricola, incurvo terram molitus aratro, 
Exesa inveniet scabra rubigine pila ; 495 

Aut gravibus rastris galeas pulsabit inanes, 
Grandiaque effossis mirabitur ossa sepulchris. 



and the broad plains of Hae- 
mus should twice be fattened 
with our blood. Nay, and 
the time will come, when in 
those countries the husband- 
man, labouring the earth with 
his crooked plough, shall find 
javelins half consumed with 
eating rust ; or shall strike 
empty helmets with his heavy 
harrows ; and shall wonder at 
the greatness of the bones, 
when he digs up the graves. 



that place to lie under mount Hae- 



•Latosque JEmi sub rupe Phi- 



and in the tenth book he calls Hae- 
mus Thessalian : 

•Thessalici qui nuper rupe sub 



Hcemi. 

Thus we find he speaks of Emathia, 
Thessaly, Haemus, Pharsalus, and 
Philippic as being in the same coun- 
try. Florus also, the historian, 
speaks of Thessaly, and the plains 
of Philippi, as the same place : " Sic 
f praecipitantibus fatis,praelio sumta 
f est Thessalia, et Philippicis cam- 
" pis, urbis, imperii, generis hu- 
" mani fata commissa sunt." Per- 
haps both Pliny and Servius are in 
the right, of whom the former, as 
has been already observed, says Ma- 
cedon was anciently called Emathia, 
and the latter says the same of 
Thessaly: for it is not impossible 
that Macedon, Thessaly, and Epirus 
might have been anciently included 
under the name of Emathia. And 
indeed it appears from Caesar's own 
account of that war, that it ex- 
tended over all those countries. 
Soon after Caesar was come into 
Greece we find all Epirus submit- 
ting to him, and the two armies en- 
camped between Dyrrhachium and 
! Apollonia, with the river Apsus be- 
| tween the two camps. There are 
i several sharp engagements in the 
neighbourhood of Dyrrhachium. 
After his defeat there, he marches 
to the river Genusus, where there 



was a skirmish between Caesar's 
horse, and those of Pompey, who 
pursued him. We find Domitius 
marching as far as Heraclea Sentica, 
which is in the farther part of Ma- 
cedon, towards Thrace, whence, 
being closely pursued by Pompey, 
he narrowly escaped, and joined 
Caesar at iEginium, on the borders 
of Thessaly. Presently after Caesar 
besieges Gomphi, a city of Thes- 
saly, near Epirus, and soon subdues 
all Thessaly, except the city of 
Larissa, which was possessed by 
Scipio's army. Pompey in a few 
days marches into Thessaly, and 
joins his army with that of Scipio. 
After the famous battle of Pharsalia, 
in Thessaly, we find Caesar pursu- 
ing Pompey, as far as Amphipolis, 
a city of Macedon, in the confines of 
Thrace, not far from Philippi. Thus 
we see the war was not confined to 
Thessaly, but spread itself all over 
Epirus and Macedon, even to the 
borders of Thrace : so that the two 
wars may, with some latitude, be 
ascribed to the same country; 
though there was so large a space 
between the two spots, where they 
were decided. 

Paribus telis.] By equal arms the 
poet means a civil war; Romans 
being opposed to Romans. 

492. Latos.'] In the King's ma- 
nuscript, and in some printed edi- 
tions, it is Icelos. 

493. Cum.] La Cerda has quo. 
497. Grandia ossa.] It was the 

opinion of the ancients, that man- 
kind degenerated in size and 
strength. In the twelfth Mneid 



104- 



P. VIRGILII MAftONIS 



2i?SJStg?o roSSS Dii Patrii, indigetes, et Romule, Vestaque mater, 

and mother Vesta, „ 



the poet represents Turnus throw- 
ing a stone of such a size that 
twelve such men as lived in his 
time could hardly lift from the 
ground : 

Nee plura effatus, saxum circumspicit 

ingens ; 
Saxum antiquum, ingens, campo quod 

forte jacebat 
Limes agro positus, litem ut discerneret 

arvis. 
Vix illud lecti bis sex cervice subirent, 
Qualia nunc hominum producit corpora 

tellus. 
Ille manu raptum trepida torquebat in 

hostem. 

Then, as he rolVd his troubled eyes- 
around, 

An antique stone he saw ; ifie common 
hound 

Of neighboring fields ; and barrier of 
the ground. 

So vast, that twelve strong men of mo- 
dern days, 

Ttt enormous weight from earth eou'd 
hardly raise. 

He heaved it at a lift ; and poised on 
high, 

JRan staggering on against his enemy. 

DR5TDEN. 

In the passage now before us he re- 
presents their degenerate posterity 
astonished at the bones of the Ro- 
mans, who fell at Pharsalia and 
Philippi, which in comparison of 
those of later ages may be accounted 
gigantic. 

498. Dii patrii &c] The poet 
concludes the first book, with a 
prayer to the gods of Rome, to pre- 
serve Augustus, and not to take 
him yet into their number, that he 
may save mankind from ruin. 

The commentators differ about 
the signification of the words Dii 
patrii, indigetes : some think the 
Dii patrii and the indigetes are the 
same; to which opinion Ruseus 
subscribes. Servius, with better 
reason, separates them, and observes 
that the Dii patrii are those which 



preside over particular cities, as 
Minerva over Athens, and Juno over 
Carthage. They are also called 
Penates : and in the second iEneid 
our poet himself seems to make the 
Dii patrii and Penates the same. 
Anchises invokes the Dii patrii to 
preserve his family : 

Dii patrii, servate domum, servate ne- 
potem. 

And immediately Mne&s desires 
him to take with him the patrii Pe- 
nates : 

Tu, genitor, cape sacra manu, patriosque 
Penates : 

Ovid, at the end of his Metamor- 
phosis, has an invocation for the 
safety of Augustus; wherein he 
mentions these Penates, which iEneas 
carried with him, as different from 
the Dii indigetes : 



Dii precor, JEnece comites, quibus 

et ignis 
Cesserunt, Diique indigetes, genitorque, 

Quirine, 
Urbis, et invicti genitor, Gradive, Quirini, 
Vestaque Caesareos inter sacrata Penates ; 
Et cum Caesarea tu, Phoebe domestice, 

Vesta, 
Quique tenes altus Tarpeias, Jupiter, 

arces, 
Quosque alios vati fas appellare piumque, 
Tarda sit ilia dies, et nostro serior sevo, 
Qua caput Augustum, quem temperat, 

orbe relicto, 
Accedat caelo : faveatque precantibus 



You gods, .Eneas' mates, who made your 
way 

Through fire and sword ; you gods of men 
become ; 

Quirinus, father of triumphant Rome ; 

Thou Mars, invincible Quirinus' sire ; 

Chaste Vesta, with thy ever-burning fire, 

Among great Caesar's household gods 
enshrined ; 

Domestic Phcebus, with his Vesta join'd ; 

Thou Jove, wlw in Tarpeian towers we 
adore ; 

And you, all you, who poets may im- 
plore : 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



105 



Quae Tuscum Tiberim, et Romana palatiaservas, j£° SlKom^aia'S; 

Hi. • i at least do not hinder this 

uric saltern everso juvenem succurrere saeclo y 0un g man from saving the 

sinking world; 



Slow be that day, and after I am dead, 
Wherein Augustus, of the world the head, 
Leaving the earth, shall unto heaven 

repair, 
And favour those that seek to him by 

prayer. 

Sandys. 

There is indeed an inferior order of 
Penates, which preside over private 
families, and are more frequently 
mentioned : but those spoken of in 
these quotations are plainly the 
greater sort, which preside over 
countries and cities. Ovid indeed 
speaks of Vesta, as one of the Ve- 
nules of Augustus Caesar's family : 
but this seems to be a poetical com- 
pliment, making her peculiar to 
Augustus, who was public to all 
Rome ; as appears from Cicero's 
second book de Natura Deorum : 
fi Nam Vesta nomen Graecis : ea 
" est enim, quae ab illis Wi« dicitur. 
" Vis autem ejus ad aras, et focos 
" pertinet. Itaque in ea dea, quae 
" est rerum custos intimarum, om- 
" nis et precatio, et sacrificatio ex- 
" trema est." The Indigetes are 
men, who on account of their great 
virtues have been deified : of these 
Cicero speaks in the same book : 
" Suscepit autem vita hominum, 
" consuetudoque communis, ut be- 
' e neficiis excellentes viros in caelum 
<e fama, ac voluntate tollerent. Hinc 
c< Hercules, hinc Castor, et Pollux, 

" hinc iEsculapius Hinc 

" etiam Romulus, quern quidem 
" eundem esse Quirinum putant : 
" quorum cum remanerent animi, 
" atque aeternitate fruerentur, dii 
" rite sunt habiti, cum et optimi es- 
" sent, et aeterni." And in the 
third book he speaks of them as 
strangers naturalized in heaven: 
" In Graecia multos habent ex ho- 
" minibus deos Romulum 



" nostri, aliosque complures: quos 
" quasi novos et adscriptiiios cives 
" in caelum receptos putant." Ovid 
mentions iEneas as being made one 
of these Indigetes, by Venus, with 
the consent of Jupiter : 

Lustratum genitrix divino corpus odore 
Unxit, et ambrosia cum dulci nectare 

mista 
Contigitos; fecitque Deum : quern turba 

Quirini 
Nuncupat Indigetem, temploque arisque 

reeepit. 



His mother . . 



Anoints with sacred odours, and his lips 
In Nectar, mingled with Ambrosia, dips ; 
So deified : whom Indiges Rome calls ; 
Honoured with altars, shrines, and festivals. 
Sandys. 

Livy also says that vEneas was called 
Jupiter Indiges: " Situs est, quem- 
" cunque eum dici jus fasque est, 
" super Numicium flumen, Jovem 
" Indigetem appellant." 

Hence it appears to me that Virgil 
invokes two orders of gods, the Dii 
patrii, gods of the country, tutelary 
gods, or Penates, and the Indigetes, 
or deified men: and then that he 
enumerates one of the chief of each 
order. For we find that Vesta is a 
principal tutelary goddess of Rome; 
and Romulus is one of the chief of 
the Indigetes, being the founder of 
the city. 

499. Tuscum Tiberim.] The Ty- 
ber is so called, because it rises in 
Etruria. 

Romana palatia.] It was on the 
Palatine hill that Romulus laid the 
foundation of Rome. Here he kept 
his court, as did also Augustus Cae- 
sar : hence the word Palatium came 
to signify a royal seat or palace. 

500. Juvenem.'] He means Au- 
gustus Caesar, who was then a young 
man, being about twenty-seven 

p 



106 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



already have we paid sufii- 
ciently with our blood for the 
nerjurY of Laomedon's Troy. 
Already, O Caesar, does the 
palace of heaven envy us thy 
reign, and lament that thou 
still regarded human tri- 
umphs. For here right and 
wrong are confounded ; there 
are so many wars throughout 
the world ; so many sorts of 
wickedness ; the due honours 
are not paid to the plough ; 
the husbandmen are carried 
away, and the fields lie neg- 
lected, and the crooked sickles 
are beaten into cruel swords. 
Here Euphrates, and there 
Germany, makes war ; the 
neighbouring cities break 
their leagues, and wage war 
with each other; impious 
Mars rages all over the globe. 
Thus when the four horsed 
chariots pour forth from the 
barriers, they increase their 
swiftness in the ring, and the 
charioteer vainly pulls in the 
reins, 



Ne prohibete. Satis jampridem sanguine nostro 
Laomedonteae luimus perjuria Trojse. 502 

Jampridem nobis cadi te regia, Caesar, 
Invidet, atque hominum queritur curare trium- 

phos. 
Quippe ubi fas versum atque nefas : tot bella per 

orbem : £05 

Tarn multas scelerum facies : non ullus aratro 
Dignus honos : squalent abductis arva colonis, 
Et curvae rigidum falces ccnflantur in ensem. 
Hinc movet Euphrates, illinc Germania bellum: 
Vicinae ruptis inter se legibus urbes 510 

Anna ferunt: saevit toto Mars impius orba. 
Ut cum carceri bus sese effudere quadrigae, 
Addunt in spatio, et frustra retinacula tender's 



years of age, when Virgil began his 
Georgicks, which he is said to have 
finished in seven years. But Mr. 

B and Dr. Trapp seem not very 

exact, who call him a youth in their 
translations. 

502. Laomedonteae luimus perjuria 
Trojce.] Laomedon, king of Troy, 
when he was building a wall round 
his city, hired the assistance of Nep- 
tune and Apollo, and afterwards de- 
frauded them of the reward he had 
promised. 

506. No?i ullus aratro digitus 
honos] Here again the Poet slides 
beautifully into his subject. When 
he is speaking of the whole world's 
being in arms, he expresses it by 
saying the husbandmen are pressed 
into the service, the fields lie neg- 
lected, the plough is slighted, and 
the instruments of agriculture are 
turned into swords. 

508. Et curvce rigidtimfalces con- 
Jlantur in ensem.] We have an ex- 
pression much like this in the pro- 
phet Joel: " Beat your plough- 
" shares into swords, and your prun- 
" ing hooks into spears." 



509. Hinc movet Euphrates, illinc 
Germania helium.] This part of the 
Georgicks must have been written, 
whilst Augustus and Anthony were 
drawing together their forces, to 
prepare for that war, which was 
decided by the defeat of Anthony 
and Cleopatra, at Actium. An- 
thony drew his forces from the east- 
ern part of the empire, which 
Virgil distinguishes by the river 
Euphrates : Augu stus drew his from 
the western parts, which he ex- 
presses by Germany. 

510. Vicince ruptis inter se.] The 
Cambridge manuscript has Viciiuz 
inter se ruptis jam. 

512. Ut cum carceribus sese ejfu- 
dere quadrigce.] Thus Horace : 

Ut cum carceribus misses rapit :. 
currus. 

513. Addunt in spatio.] This pas- 
sage is variously read, and almost as 
variously interpreted. Some read 
addunt se in spatio, which is not very 
easy to be under stood. Both the 
Arundelian manuscripts, and seve- 
ral printed editions, have addunt sc 



GEORG. LIB. I. 



107 



Fertur equis auriga, neque audit currus habenas. ™* ««wa™j tgjge 

regard the bridle. 



in spalia. But se is left out in the 
King's, the Cambridge, the Bod- 
leian, and both Dr. Mead's manu- 
scripts ; also in the Medicean, and 
several other ancient manuscripts, 
according to Pierius. La Cerda en- 
deavours to prove that spatium sig- 
nifies the turning round the meta, 
which was usually performed seven 
times ; and that addere se in spatia 
or addere in spatia signifies the often 
turning round, and adding one 
circle to another. But Virgil seems 
to me to mean by spatium the whole 
space that was allotted for the course. 
Thus, at the end of the second 
Georgick, where he alludes to a 
chariot-race, he says, 

Immensum spatiis confecimus 

aequor. 

which can relate only to the vast 
circumference of the whole ring. 
That passage in the third Georgick 
is to be understood in the same 
manner, where he is speaking of a 
good horse : 

Hie vel ad Elei metas et maxima campi 
Sudabit spatia. 

In the fifth iEneid, where he de- 
scribes the foot-race, spatium is evi- 
dently used for the whole ring : for 
we find that the moment they start, 
they enter the spatia : 

Locum capiunt, signoque repente 

Corripiunt spatia audito, limenque relin- 

quunt 
Effusi. 

If addunt se in spatia be the right 



reading, I should rather think it 
means they enter the ring, which is 
the meaning of corripiunt spatia or 
campum, as he expresses it in the 
third Georgick : 

Cum praecipiti certarnine campum 

Corripuere, ruuntque effusi carcere cur- 
rus. 

Heinsius and Ruaeus, whom I have 
followed, read addunt in spatio : 
which I take to signify they increase 
their swiftness in the ri?ig, or run 
faster and faster. In this sense 
Grimoaldus has paraphrased this 
passage: " Quemadmodum tamen 
" equorum plus plusque currendo 
" cursus augetur." May's transla- 
tion is according to this reading : 

So when swift chariots from the lists 

are gone, 
Their furious haste increases as they run. 

Dry den's seems to have much the 
same meaning : 

So four fierce coursers starting to the 

race, 
Scour thro' the plain, and lengthen ev'ry 

pace. 

Mr. B. reads addunt se in spatia, 

and translates it thus : 

As when the cars swift pouring thro' the 

race, 
Encounter furious on the dusty space. 

Dr. Trapp translates it according to 
La Cerda's interpretation : 

As when the racers from their barriers 

start, 
Oft whirling round the goal. 



v 2 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

GEORGICORUM 



LIBER SECUNDUS. 



IlACTENUS arvorum cultus, et sidera casli : 
unc te, bacche, canam, nee non sylvestrm and with thee also, of wild 

shrubs, 

tecum 



Thus far of the culture of 
the fields, and of the constel- 
lations of heaven : now, O 
Bacchus, will I sing of thee. 



1. Hacienus arvorum, &c.] The 
poet begins this book with a brief 
recapitulation of the subject of the 
first: he then declares that of the 
second book to be vines,, olives, and 
wild trees and shrubs ; and invokes 
Bacchus to his assistance. 

2. Nee non sylvestria tecum, &c] 
" This introduction the commen- 
'* tators have not sufficiently taken 
" into their consideration, and for 
" want of thoroughly explaining it, 
** it is not easy, for every reader, to 
" reconcile the conclusion of this 
" book with the beginning of it. 
" Virgil begins with these words, 
ct Nunc te, Bacche, canam; but 
fi about the latter end of the book, 
" he prefers olives and fruit, and 
<f timber trees, and even shrubs, to 
" the vine itself: 

Quid memorandum ccque Bacche'ia dona 
tulcrunt 9 

" This is not easily understood, 
" without observing in how particu- 
" lar a manner the poet, immedi- 
" ately after Nunc te Bacche canam, 
f'adds, Nee non sylvestria tecum 



Virgulta, 8fc. The reason of which 
I conceive to be this. Virgil, in 
order to raise the dignity of the 
verse, in this place, above that 
of the proposition, in the first 
Georgick, as he there makes use 
of a figure, by employing sydere 
instead of tempore, so here he 
chooses a nobler figure, by the 
apostrophe he makes to Bacchus; 
and in the third book, he uses the 
same figure, for the same purpose, 
three times in the two first lines. 
But this expression, nunc ie, Bac- 
che, canam, having the air of a 
Bacchique piece, which was not 
by any means the poet's intention, 
he immediately gives it another 
turn, by declaring he will cele- 
brate equally with Bacchus, that 
is, the vine, every twig of the 
forest. This seems to be Virgil's 
meaning, and this made the sub- 
ject worthy of Virgil. He under- 
takes to disclose all the bounties 
of nature in her productions of 
trees, and plants, and shrubs ; 
and this he does from the vine to 
the furze." Mr. B . 



110 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and the offspring of the slow 
growing olive. Come hither, 
O father Lenseus : here all is 
full of thy Rifts; for thee the 
field flourishes, laden with 
viny autumn, and the vint- 
age foams with full vats. 
Come hither, O father I.e- 
nxus; and take off thy 
buskins, 



Virgulta, et prolem tarde crescentis olivae. > 
Hue, pater O Lenaee : tuis hie omnia plena 
Muneribusj tibi pampineo gravid us autumno 5 
Floret ager, spurn at plenis vindemia labris. 
Hue, pater O Lenaee, veni; nudataque musto 



3. Tarde crescentis olivce.] The 
ancient Greek writers of agriculture 
speak of the olive as a very slow 
grower ; whence they have given it 

the epithets of oylyovog, o-^/ixoifiTTeg, 
y&Xarh, o-J/wSfc. Pliny quotes 
a passage from Hesiod, wherein he 
says, that the planter of an olive 
never lived to gather the fruit of it; 
but he adds, that in his time they 
planted olives one year, and ga- 
thered the fruit the next: "Hesi- 
" odus quoque in primis cultum 
te agrorum docendam arbitratus 
ee vitam, negavit Oleae satorum 
" fructum ex ea percepisse quen- 
" quam. Tarn tarda tunc res erat. 
tc At nunc etiam in plantariis serunt, 
" translatarumque altero anno de- 
" cerpuntur baccae." But Hesiod 
no doubt spake of sowing the seeds 
of the olive ; which will take off 
Pliny's objection, who seems to 
mean the transplanting of the trun- 
cheons. Varro mentions also the 
slow growth of olives ; but it is plain 
that he speaks of sowing them ; and 
therefore he observes that it is a 
better way to propagate them by 
truncheons : " Palma et cupressus, 

" et Olea in crescendo tarda 

" Sfmili de causa Olea? semen cum 
" sit nucleus, quod ex eo tardius 
" enascebatur colis, quam e taleis, 
" ideo potius in seminariis ialens, 
" quas dixi, serimus." It is not 
improbable that the ancient Gre- 
cians were unacquainted with any 
other method of propagating olives, 
than by sowing them : and, as Mr. 
Miller informs me, they practise 
that method in Greece to this day. 
This might occasion those epithets, 



mentioned at the beginning of this 
note. Hence also Virgil might 
make use of the epithet slow grow- 
ing; though in his time they had a 
quicker way of propagating olives. 

4. Pater OLencee.] Bacchus is pe- 
culiarly called Pater ; thus Horace: 

I 

Romulus et Liber Paicr, et cum Castore 
Pollux. 

Virgil very judiciously makes use of 
the name Lenceus for Bacchus in this 
place, Lenceus being derived from 
A«m$ a wine-press. 

In one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts 
this verse begins with nunc instead 
of hue. 

Hie] In one of the Arundelian 
manuscripts it is sunt : La Cerda 
reads hcec. 

Tuis muneribus.~\ Bacchus is said 
to have been the inventor of wine. 
This gift is ascribed to him at the 
beginning of the first Georgick : 

Liber et alma Ceres, vestro si munere 

tell us 
Chaoniam pingui glandemmutavit arista, 
Poculaque inventis Acltelota miscuit uvis. 

7. Hue.] It is nunc again, in Dr. 
Mead's manuscript. 

Nudataque musto fyc] This alludes 
to the custom, frequent even now, 
in Italy and other places, of treading 
out the grapes with their feet. Bac- 
chus is represented frequently with 
buskins. Thus we find in Tacitus, 
that Silius wore buskins in imitation 
of Bacchus : " At Messallina non 
" alias solutior luxu, adulto autum- 
" no, simulacrum vindemia? per do- 
u mumcelebrat j urgeripra?la,fluere 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



lit 



Tinge novo mecum direptis crura cothurnis. ^^^^Ati 

t- „ place the ways of producing- 

Principio, arboribus varia est natura creandis : y trees arc various: for some 

r 7 come up of their own accord, 

Namque aliae, nullis hominum cogentibus, ipsae gftRffi^Si 
Sponte sua veniunt, camposque et flumina late the p,ains and wiRding liv ^> 



cc lacus, et feminae pellibus accinctae 
u assultabant, ut sacrificantes vel 
u insanientes Bacchea : Ipsa crine 
" fluxo, thyrsum quatiens, juxtaque 
" Silius hedera vinctus, gerere co- 
" thumos, jacere caput, strepente 
" circum procaci choro." Velleius 
j^aterculus also tells us, that Mark 
Anthony would have himself be 
called a new Father Bacchus, and 
was carried at Alexandria in a cha- 
riot, like Father Bacchus, crowned 
with ivy, adorned with a golden 
crown, holding a thyrse, and wear- 
ing buskins : " Cum ante, novum 
" se Liberum Patrem appellari jus- 
ee sisset, cum redimitus hederis, co- 
" ronaque velatus aurea, et thyrsum 
" tenens, cothurnisque succinctus, 
<c curru, velut Liber Pater, vectus 
" esset Alexandriae. 

" In the introduction, where Vir- 
" gil makes an apostrophe to Bac- 
et chus, Mr. Dry den makes one to 
<{ his Muse ; and where Virgil seri- 
<c onsly desires Bacchus to partake 
" of the labour of treading the 
"■ grapes, which comprehends the 
" whole subject, as to the vine, Mr. 
" Dryden falls into a most extra- 

* vagant rant, 

Come strip with me* my God, ccme drench 

all o'er 
Thy limbs in must of wine, and drink at 

ev'ry pore. 

" than which lines nothing was ever 

* writ by man more wide from the 
" author's sense or character ; nei- 
" ther should it pass unobserved in 
" how shocking a manner the ex- 
" pression, my Godj is put in the 
ec mouth of a heathen poet, address- 

'• ing himself to a heathen deity, 



" which I do not believe was 
" ever done in any place but this/* 
Mr. B— . 

9. Principio, arhoribus &c] The 
poet begins with an account of the 
several methods of producing trees: 
and first he speaks of the three ways, 
by which they are produced without 
culture; spontaneously, by seeds, 
and by suckers. 

Virgil in this place plainly imi- 
tates Theophrastus, who, at the be- 
ginning of the second book of his 
history of plants, says, " The gene- 
" ration of trees and plants in ge- 
" neral is either spontaneous, or 
" by seed, or by root, or by suck- 
" ers, or by sets, or by cuttings of 
" the young shoots, or by layers, or 
" even by cutting the wood into 
<e small pieces : for that way also a 
" plant will rise. Among these the 
" spontaneous generation seems to 
€t be the principal: and those which 
" are by seed and root appear the 
" most natural : for they are in a 
" manner spontaneous ; and there- 
" fore suit with wild plants ; where- 
" as the rest are procured by the 
" art and industry of man." At 
TiviFUg xuv "h'i^pav koc) oXco$ tojv tywruv, 

H CCVTOftSCTOl, V) Ct7T0 (TTrigUClTOg, V} W7T0 

fifylfi *) mko ?roi(>etcr7rcidog, si c&7ro dicpk- 
[tovog, vi ot%h xXavog, *s M7T uvrov rov 
FiXiftovg Wh, \ in rov ^i/Xov koltockottzv- 

T0$ il$ [AlK^oi. KCtl y«g 0VT6)$ CCVCtQvi- 
TOif TOVTWV Oi Yi [AlV CCVTOtCOCTOg TTPUTt 

rig. i) ol d>7!ra (mincer og kmi iLZpg, Qv- 
c-iKaroirxt o*o%ou5v otv* a>Wgg ya,^ cevro- 
(Acvroi x.oi) uvroci. dib Kent roig dyptoig 
v7rc6t>X, ova 'iy, ut ^s uXXxi Tiftr/ig, « «Vo 
Trptaipitriug. 

11. Sponte sua veniunW] Though 
the spontaneous generation of plants 



112 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



bLd^llmfth/p'pfar: Curva tenent ; ut moUe siler, lentaeque genista?, 

and the willow with hoary n " » , ~ ■, i. M , _ 

bluish leaves, some arepro- ropulus, et glauca canentia troncle salicta. 13 

duced by seeds j as the lofty ° 

Pars autem posito surgunt de semine: ut altas 



is now sufficiently exploded ; yet it 
was universally believed by the 
ancient philosophers. Instances of 
this are frequent in Aristotle, Pliny, 
and many others. 

12. Siler.] I have followed the 
general opinion, in translating Siler, 
an osier. I do not meet with any 
thing certain, in the other Latin 
writers, to determine exactly what 
plant they meant. Pliny says only, 
that it delights in watery places: 
whence I wonder that Cassalpinus 
should imagine it to be the Euony- 
mus Theophrasii, or Spindle-tree, 
which grows usually in hedges. La 
Cerda fancies it to be the Siler mon- 
tanum, or Sermoxntain, because he 
thinks it more elegant for the poet 
to speak of two which grow in the 
plains, and two in the rivers. But 
this seems too trifling an exactness, 
to be worth insisting upon : and I 
do not find any other Siler, to be 
mentioned in any ancient Latin 
author, but that which grows in the 
water. 

Lentceque genislce.~) I take the 
Genista to be what we call Spanish 
broom, which grows in great plenty, 
in most parts of Italy. The Itali- 
ans weave baskets of its slender 
branches. The flowers are very 
sweet, last long, and are agreeable 
to bees. This agrees with what 
Virgil says of it afterwards in this 
Georgick : 

Salices humilesque Genistce, 

Aut illae pecori frondern, aut pastoribus 

umbram 
Sufficiunt; sepemque satis, et pabula 

melli. 

What Pliny says of the Genista 
agrees very well with the Spanish 
broom. In lib. xxi. c. 9. he says it 



has a yellow flower, and is used in 
garlands: " Trail seat ratio ad eas 
" coronas, quae varietate sola pla- 
' ' cent. Duo earum genera, quando 
<e alias flore constant, alia? folio. 
" Florem esse dixerim Genistas: 
l( namque et iis decerpitur luteus." 
In lib. xxiv. c. 9. he says the seed 
grows in pods, like kidney-beans : 

" Semen in folliculis, 

" Phaseolorum modo, nascens :" 
and that the plant is used for withs 
to bind; and that the flowers are 
agreeable to bees: " Genista quo- 
'* que vinculi usum praestat. Flores 
" apibus gratissimi." In lib. xvi. 
c. 18. He says it is used in dying : 
' e Tingendis vestibus nascentes Ge- 
" liista?.'' I do not know that the 
broom is ever used by our dyers : 
but another plant of the same kind 
is much in use: they call it wood- 
wax, and green weed. It is the 
Coroneola of Caesalpinus: and is 
called by other authors Genista 
tinctoria, Genistella linctoria, and 
Tinclorius Jlos. I doubt not, but 
the Spanish broom might be used 
for the same purposes. 

13. Populus.] This no doubt is 
the poplar, of which, according to 
Pliny, there are three sorts: the 
white, the black, and the Lybian, 
which is our asp : " Populi tria gc- 
(i nera, alba, nigra, et qua? Lybica 
" appellatur, minima folio, ac niger- 
" rim a, fungisque enascentibus lau- 
" datissima." 

Glauca canentia fronde Salicta.] 
This is a beautiful description of the 
common willow : the leaves are of a 
bluish green; and the under side 
of them is covered with a white 
down. He uses Salictnm or Sati- 
cetum, the place where willows grow, 
for Salices, the trees themselves. 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



113 



Castanea?, ncmorumque Jovi qiife maxima fron- SlS^Sl^ttSS 

, . . of all the groves of Jupiter, 

det 1 5 



15. Castaneaz.] The Casianea no 
doubt is our chesnut. Pliny de- 
scribes the fruit very plainly: " Nu- 
" ces vocamus et Castaneas, quan- 
" quam accommodatiores glandium 
" generi : armatum iis echinato 
<e calyce vallum, quod inchoatum 
" glandibus." 

Nemorumque Jovi quae maxima 
frondet Esculus.] It is no easy mat- 
ter to determine certainly what the 
Esculus is. This is certain, that it 
is not our beech, as many have 
imagined, and as Diyden and Mr. 
B — have rendered it in their trans- 
lations. What has given occasion 
to this mistake is that Esculus seems 
to be derived from esca, food, as 
(piyog is from (pdya, to eat ; whence 
many learned authors have thought, 
and not without reason, that (ptiyos 
and Esculus are the same plant. 
This being supposed, it has been 
imagined that Fagus is only <pn'yo$ 
expressed in Roman characters, and 
so that Esculus is the same with Fa- 
gus. It is very plain, from Pliny, that 
Fagus is the beech : " Fagi glans 
" nuclei similis, triangula cute in- 
" cluditur. Folium tenue, ac ,le- 
<c vissimum, Populo simile." But 
it is no less plain that the Esculus 
is a sort of oak ; for Pliny reckons 
it amongst those trees which bear 
acorns : " Glandem, quae proprie 
" intelligitur, ferunt Robur, Quer- 
" cus, Esculus, Cerrus, Ilex, Suber." 
Theophrastus also makes the (p/,yog 
to be a species of oak. Thus the 
<piyog and Fagus are two different 
trees : the first being a sort of oak, 
and the other a beech. The Esculus 
as our poet describes it has large 
leaves • for that I take to be the 
sense of maxima frondet. Ovid also 
speaks of it, as a tree with abun- 
dance of large leaves : 



and 



Esculea f randoms ab arbore ramus : 



Frondibus Esculus altis. 



Virgil speaks of it in another place 
of this Georgick, as a large, spread- 
ing tree, with a very deep root. See 
ver. 291. Pliny says the acorn of 
the Esculus is next in size and good- 
ness to that of the Quercus : " Glans 
" optima in Quercu atque gran- 
(t dissima, mox Esculo." Pie says 
also that it is not so common in 
Italy as the Quercus : ee Quippe 
" cum Robur, Quercumque vulgo, 
w nasci videamus, sed Esculum non 
(C ubique." Horace however seems 
to speak of it as common in Dau- 
nia: 

Quale portentum neque militaris 
Daunia in latis alit Esculetis. 

The same poet represents the wood 
of the Esculus, as being very hard : 

Nee rigida mollior Esculo. 

This tree was sacred to Jupiter, 
thus Pliny : " Arborum genera nu- 
" minibus suis dicata perpetuo ser- 
tf vantur, ut Jovi Esculus/' We 
find also in the same author, that 
the Romans made their civic crowns 
of it : " Civica iligna primo fuit, 
" postea magis placuit ex Esculo 
u Jovi sacra. Variatumque et cum 
" Quercu est, ac data ubique quae 
" fuerat, custodito tantum honore 
" glandis." I think it not impro- 
bable that the Esculus may be that 
sort of oak, which is known in some 
parts of England under the name of 
the bay -oak. Tt has a broad, dark- 
green, firm leaf, not so much si- 
nuated about the edges, as that of 
the common oak. It is called by 
C. Bauhinus Quercus latifolia mas y 
quae brevi pedicvlo est. In thecom- 

8 



114- 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



*nd the oaks which were re- 
puted oracular by the Greeks. 
Others have a thick wood a- 
rWng from their roots; as 
cherries, and elms ; the Utile 
Parnassian bay also shelters 
itself under the great shade 
of its mother. Nature first 
shewed these ways: by these 
every kind of woods, and 
shrubs, and sacred groves 
flourishes. There are other 
wavs, which experience it- 
self has found out by art. 



Esculus, atque habitae Graiis oracula quercus. 
Pullulat ab radice aliis densissima sylva ; 
Ut cerasis, ulmisque : etiam Parnassia laurus 
Parva sub ingenti raatris se subjicit umbra. 
Hos natura modos primum dedit : his genus 

omne 20 

Sylvarum, fruticumque viret, nemorumque sa- 

crorum. 
Sunt alii, quos ipse via sibi repperit usus. 



mon oak, the acorns grow on long 
stalks, and the leaves have scarce 
any tail, but grow almost close to 
the branches: but in the bay-oak 
the acorns grow on short stalk s and 
the leaves have long tails. They 
are both figured in C. Bauhinus's 
edition of Matthiolus. 

16. HahitcB Graiis oracula quer- 
cus."] " It is very well known how 
" fond the Romans were of their 
" gods, and religious ceremonies, 
" and what a contempt they had 
" for those of other nations. It is 
u in this manner Virgil uses habiioe 
" Graiis oracula quercus : he smiles 
" at the Greeks, as he calls them, 
" for their superstition ; but Mr. 
" Dryden unhappily applies this 
" passage seriously, in these words, 

** Wltere Jove of old oraculously spoke."" 
Mr. B 



18. Cerasis r\ Cherries were a new 
fruit amongst the Romans in Virgil's 
time. Pliny tells us they were 
brought from Pontus, by Lucullus, 
after he had subdued Mithridates : 
" Cerasi ante victoriam Mithrida- 
** ticam L. Luculli non fuere in 
" Italia. Ad urbis annum dclxxx. 
" Is primum vexit e Ponto, annisque 
" exx trans Oceanum in Britanniam 
" usque pervenere." 

Ultnis.] Elms were in great re- 
quest amongst the ancients, they be- 



ing preferred before all other trees 
for props to their vines. Hence we 
find frequent mention of them 
amongst the poets. 

Parnassia Laurus.] The finest 
bay trees grew on mount Parnassus, 
according to Pliny : ' ' Spectatissima 
" in monte Parnasso." I have en- 
deavoured to prove, in the note on 
ver. 306, of the first Georgick, that 
the bay, and not the laurel, is the 
Laurus of the ancients. I shall add 
in this place, that the laurel is not 
so apt to propagate itself by suckers 
as the bay. 

20. Hos natura modos primum de- 
dit.~\ By this the poet means, that 
these are the ways, by which trees 
are naturally propagated, without 
the assistance of art. 

21. Fruticum.] The difference 
between a tree and a shrub is, that 
the tree rises from the root, with a 
single trunk, and the shrub divides 
itself into branches, as soon as it 
rises from the root. Thus Theo- 
phrastus : Asv^gev fth ovv Wl ro xttq 
ptfyg povottteftis, vehvxhocdov, e£<WT0», 

OVX, tVX7T0?>.vXVT6V' 6101) ZXoClCC, (TVXJj, 0tU7ri- 

Xog. Q>(>vyxM ol, ro ditto ptZ?lS xmi tto- 
XvHXi%i$, Kcti ztoXvkXoiom, cioi fixrof, 
TrxXtovpog. 

22. Sunt alii, &c] Having already 
mentioned the several ways by 
which plants naturally propagate 
their species ; he now proceeds to 
mention those methods, which are 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



115 



Hie plantas lenero abscindens de corpore ma- ?£Sf b $frSSJ T ™ 



trum 



Deposuit sulcis : hie stirpes obruit arvo, 
Quadrifidasque sudes, et acuto robore vallos : 25 
Sylvarumque aliae pressos propagtnis arcus 



ther, and puts them into the 
furrows j another plant-; sets 
in the field, either by splitting 
or sharpening the foot. Other 
trees expect the bent down 
arches of a layer, 



used by human industry. These 
are by suckers, sets, layers, cut- 
tings, pieces of the cleft wood, and 
ingrafting. 

Pierius says it is viam in the Lom- 
bard manuscript. If this reading 
be admitted the passage must be 
rendered thus: "There are other 
" methods which experience has 
f< found out to be its way." 

23. Plantas tenero abscindens de 
corpore malrum.~] In one of the 
Arundelian manuscripts it is Plantas 
teneras abscindens corpore matrum. 

In these words the poet plainly 
describes the propagation of plants 
by suckers. I take this to be what 
Theophrastus means by «Vo ira^x- 
<r7rccdos. The suckers are called Sto- 
lones, as Varro tells us, who adds 
that an ancestor of C. Licinius Stolo 
had the surname of Stolo, because 
he was very diligent in digging 
away the suckers from the roots of 
his trees. " Nam C. Licinium Sto- 
" lonem, et Cn. Tremelium Scrofam 
" video venire, unum cujus majores 
" de modo agri legem tulerunt. 
" Nam Stolonis ilia lex, quae vetat 
" plus D. jugera habere civem Ro- 
" manum, et qui propter diligentiam 
" culturse Stolonum confiwnavit 
" cognomen, quod nullus in ejus 
" fundo reperiri poterat Stolo, quod 
" effodiebat circum arbores, e radi- 
" cibus, quae nascerentur e solo, 
" quos Stolones appellabant." Pliny 
calls this way of planting Avidsio, 
and uses avellere in the same sense, 
that Virgil here uses abscindere : 
" Et aliud genus simile natura mon- 
" stravit, avulsique arboribus Sto- 
" lones vixere. Quo in genere et 



" cum perna sua avelluntur, par- 
" temque aliquam e matris quoque 
" corpore auferunt secum fimbriato 
" corpore." 

24. Hie stirpes obruit arvo, quadri- 
Jidasque sudes, et acuto robore vallos.] 
This is fixing the large branches, like 
stakes, into the earth. It is what 
Theophrastus calls *V uk^ovo?. 
Ruaeus divides this passage, and 
makes the stirpes obruit arvo to be 
one way of planting ; and the sudes 
and valli to be another. The first 
he takes to be stocks, the other sets. 

" This line," says Mr. B— , 
" has very much puzzled the com- 
" mentators, but there is no great 
" difficulty in it, to any one that is 
" the least versed in husbandry, and 
" consequently knows that there 
" are two ways of planting setters. 
" The quadrifidas sudes is when 
" the bottom is slit across both 
" ways ; the acuto robore is when it 
" is cut into a point, which is called 
" the coWs-foot." 

26. Sylvarumque alice, &c] This 
is propagating by layers ; which are 
called propagines. It is to be ob- 
served, that, though we use the word 
propagation for any method of in- 
creasing the species, yet amongst 
the Roman writers of agriculture 
propagatio is used only for layers. 
The common method, which Virgil 
seems to mean, is exactly de- 
scribed by Columella. " When 
" you would lay down a branch, 
" says he, from the mother tree, 
" dig a trench four feet every 
" way, so that the layer may not 
" be hurt by the roots of the other. 
" Then leave four buds, to come to 
Q2 



116 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



fn'lheV^ L°r"h g "SSS Expectant, et viva sua plantaria terra. 

In^thTpiantermaSsnodi/- Nil radicis egent aliae ; summumque putator 

ficultv to plant the young 

shocrsm the ground. Nay, Hand dubitat terras reterens mar.dare cacumen. 

and what is wonderful, if you 

^^ifSufiiforthtew Q" in et caudicibus seeds, mirabile dictu, 30 
Truditur e sicco radix oleagina ligno. 



" the bottom of the trench, and 
" strike roots : rub the buds off that 
u part which joins to the mother, 
" to avoid superfluous shoots. Suf- 
" fer that part, which is to appear 
" above ground, not to have above 
" two or at most three buds. Rub 
" off all the buds, except the four 
t( lowest, from that part which is 
" put into the ground, that the vine 
<e may not strike roots too near the 
tf surface. If you propagate it in 
tc this manner, it will quickly take 
" root, and the third year you may 
" separate it from the mother." 
Pliny tells us that nature first taught 
this method by the bramble ; the 
branches of which arc so slender 
that they fall to the ground, and 
make layers of their own accord: 
" Eadem natura et Propagines do- 
" cuit. Ptubi namque curvati graci- 
u litate, et simul proceritate nimia, 
" defigunt rursus in terram capita, 
" iterumque nascuntur ex sese, re- 
" pleturi omnia ni resistat cultura, 
<c prorsus ut possint videri homines 
" terras causa geniti. Ita pessima 
ie atque execranda res, Propaginem 
" tamen docuit, atque radicem ae- 
" quiri viridem." This method of 
planting I take to be what Theo- 
phrastus means by aV etvrov rov s**&- 

28. Nil radicis egent alice, &c] 
Here he plainly describes what we 
call cuttings. This is what Theo- 
phrastus means by esVo kXmos- It 
is cutting the young shoots of a 
tree, and planting them into the 
ground; whence Virgil says they 
nave no need of a root They are 



called in Latin Surculi. Thus we 
find them called by Varro : ec Ter- 
<( tium genus Seminis quod ex ar- 
cc bore per Surculos defertur in ter- 
ic ram, sic in huraum demittitur, ut \ 
" in quibusdam tamen sit videndum, j 
" ut eo tempore sit deplantatum [ 
" quo oportet." 

30. Quin et caudicibus sectis, &c] 
He speaks of it justly as a wonder, 
that olive-trees should strike roots 
from dry pieces of the trunk. This 
is mentioned by Theophrastus ; rev 
\v\ov Kxra,x.c7rivr«q its f&ut^oi. This 
sentence of Virgil has been fre- 
quently understood to mean graft- 
ing: but of this he speaks imme- 
diately after. La Cerda says, that 
what the poet here speaks of was 
practised in Spain in his time. 
They take the trunk of an olive, 
says he, deprive it of its root and 
branches, and cut it into several 
pieces, which they put into the 
ground, whence a root, and soon 
afterwards a tree is formed : " Hunc 
'* sextum modum cum septimo con- 
" fundunt plurimi, et putant in his 
<c caudicibus loqui Virgilium de In- 
" sitione, et una cum illis Beroaldus. 
ec Nihil unquam magis adversum 
" menti Virgilii. Testes sunt oculi 
" scientissimorum agricolarum, a 
" quibus id quaesivi : testis ars ipsa, 
" quae nunc quoque in Hispania, 
" ubi ego sum, viget. Secant agri- 
1 ' colae, scinduntque in partes plures 
" caudicem Olivae, cui amputata ra- 
" dix, cui amputati rami: ita con- 
" sectum infodiunt, ac inde format 
el se mdix ei: mox arbor, quod poeta 
" stupet, quia vere minim." 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



117 



Et seepe alterius ramos impune videmus 
Vertere in alterius, mutatamque insita mala 
Ferre pyrum, etprunis lapidosa rubescere corna. 
Quare agite O proprios generatim discite cultus, 
Agricolse, fructusque feros mollite colendo, 36 
Neu segnes jaceant terras. Juvat Ismara Baccho 
Conserere, atque Olea magnum vestire Tabur- 



And we often see the branches 
of one tree to turn with im- 
punity into those of another, 
and a pear tree being changed 
to bear grafted apples, and 
stony Cornelian cherries to 
glow upon plumb-stocks. 
Wherefore, O husbandmen, 
learn the culture which is 
proper to each kind, and 
learn to tame the wild fruits 
by cultivating them, that no 
land may lie idle. It is worth 
the while to plant Ismarus 
wiih vines, and to crown the 
great Taburnus with olives. 



num. 



32. Alterius ramos impune videmus 
vertere in alterius.] In this passage 
he plainly speaks of grafting, of 
which he subjoins two instances. 
This subject is farther explained; 
ver. 73. 

33. Mutatamque insita mala ferre 
Pyrum.] He speaks of grafting ap- 
ples upon a pear stock, not of pears 
upon an apple- stock, as Drydenhas 
translated it, who has added quinces 
also, though not in the original : 

Thus pears and quinces from the crab- 
tree come. 

Mutaiam agrees with Pyrum ; now 
it is the nature of the stock, not of 
the graft, that is changed : wherefore 
the pear must be the stock spoken 
of in this place. The apples are 
said to be insita, ingrafted, which 
fully explains the meaning of this 
passage. 

34. Prunis lapidosa rubescere Cor- 
na.'] It is a doubt whether Virgil 
means, that Cornels are ingrafted 
upon plumb-stocks, or plumbs upon 
cornel-stocks. May takes it in the 
former sense : 

And hard red cornoiles from a stock of 
plumme : 

and Dr. Trapp : 

And on the plumb's the stony cornel 
glow. 

Dryden takes it in the latter sense : 

And thus the ruddy cornel bears the 
plum: 



and Mr. B — : 

And stony corneils blush with blooming 
plums. 

I take the former to be the poet's 
meaning : for the Cornelian cherry 
is a fruit of so beautiful a red colour, 
that the cornel cannot properly be 
said to glow or redden with plumbs, 
which are not so red as its own na- 
tural fruit. Besides the epithet 
stony belongs very properly to the 
fruit of the Cornel, not to the tree : 
wherefore if Virgil speaks of that 
fruit, he must mean the stock of the 
plumb. Columella says the Cor- 
nelian cherries were used for olives : 
" Corna, quibus pro olivis uta- 
" mur." 

37. Juvat Ismara Baccho conse- 
rere.] Ismarus is a mountain of 
Thrace, not far from the mouth of 
Hebrus. That country was famous 
for good wines. Ulysses speaks in 
commendation of some wine, which 
was given him by Maron, the priest 
of Apollo at Ismarus : 

— — 'A<ra£ alyiav afficov 'i%ov pikctvof 

otvoto 
'H^soj, ov pot 'tbcaxi Mtiguv EvavS-zes vtcg 
c l/>vj$ 'AttoXXuvos. o;"l(r{ta,(>ov ufiCpiGiZnxu. 

Then took a goat-skin fill'd with pre-*\ 

cious wine, I 

The gift of Maron, of Evantheus' line, > 

The priest of Phoebus at th' Ismarian I 

shrine. ** 

Mr. Pope. 



38. Olea magnum vestire Tabur- 
num.] l^aburnus is a mountain of 



118 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



ishtmVJn°d'be°ar^ C a e rt na of Tu q ue ades > inceptumque una decurre laborem, 

the labour which I have be- /-^ t r^ r 

gun, thou, who art my giovy, U decus, (J ramae merito pars maxima nostrae, 

and justly the greatest part of 

my fame and flying spread Maecenas, peir.^oque voians da vela patenti. 41 

the sails to the open sea. I 7 i o J r 

™2!!K;S?b?3I Non ego cuncta meis amplecti versibus opto : 

on this subject; 



Campania, which was very fruitful 
in olives. It is now called Taburo. 

39. Tuque ades, &c] The poet 
having invoked Bacchus, and pro- 
posed the subject of this Book, now 
calls upon his patron Maecenas, to 
give him his assistance. 

" This allegory, says Ruaeus, is 
" generally thought to allude to the 
" Cirque, which opinion is strength- 
" ened by the last verses of this 
" book: 

** Sedjam tempus cquum fumantia solvere 
" colla, &c. 

" but I think that this and the fol- 
" lowing lines allude to Navigation. 
" And indeed the verb decurro is 
'« used with water : thus Catullus; 

" A usi sunt vada salsa cita decurrere puppi. 

" And Virgil, in the fifth .Eneid ; 

" Prona petit maria et pelago dccurrit 
" aperto." 

40. decus, fames merito pars 
maxima nostra;.] " In some ancient 
" manuscripts it is nostri : if this be 
" admitted, we must necessarily 
" read, as some think it should be, 

" O decus, Ofama, et merito pars maxima 
" nostri. 

" But in the Medicean and other 
" correct copies it \sfamoe nostrce. 

" The reading in some copies 

" is extravagant, 

" O Deus, O fames merito pars maxima 
*' nostra?. 

" Surely it is better to read decus 
" with Horace, 

" et presidium, et dulce decus mcum." 

PlERIUS. 



41. Pelagoque volans da vela pa- 
tend.] Several commentators take 
these words to signify, that the poet 
begs Maecenas to favour him : " Sim- 
' ' plici generi carminis praesta favo- 
" rem: ut Vela favorem accipia- 
te raus," says Servius. " Ut Mas- 
" cenas favoris vela explicet, aspi- 
" rans in patenti pelago totius 
'* operis," says La Cerda. But if 
we carefully consider the poet's de- 
sign in the whole passage now be- 
fore us, we shall find, that by da 
vela pelago, he does not mean fa- 
vour my undertaking, but set sail or 
embark with me: as two lines before 
he had desired him to join with 
him in the labour he had under- 
taken: <c inceptumque una decurre 
*' laborem/' By Pelago patenti 
Ruaeus thinks he means an open 
sea, not shut up with winds. I be- 
lieve he uses that metaphor to ex- 
press the copiousness of his subject, 
comparing the immensity of his 
undertaking to that of the ocean. 
For he adds immediately, that Mae- 
cenas may not be discouraged by 
the vastness of the labour, that he 
has no intent to aim at comprehend- 
ing the whole in his Poem, and in- • 
deed, that, if he had such a design, 
it would be impossible. 

42. Non ego cuncta meis.] We 
have an expression like this in the 
second Iliad. Homer, when he is 
drawing up the Grecian army, says 
he should not be able to recite all 
their numbers, though he had ten 
tongues, and ten mouths, a voice 
not to be broken, and a heart of 
brass : 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



119 



Non, mihi si linguae centum sint, oraque centum, 
Ferrea vox. Ades, et primi lege littoris oram : 
In manibus terrae : non hie te carmine ficto, 45 
Atque per ambages, et longa exorsa tenebo. 
Sponte sua quae se tollunt in luminis oras, 



not though I had a hundred 
tongues, a hundred mouths, 
and a voice of iron Assist 
me, and coast along the near- 
est shore : the land is in sight : 
I will not here detain you 
with poetical fiction, and cir- 
cumlocutions, and long pre- 
ambles. Those, which spring 
spontaneously into the open 
air, 



Oi/V u pot %'ixa. /u,h y^uffcrxt, Vma. Tt g-ofietr 

tttv, 
<J>uvy) }' ccppnKTOS, ^aXxsev }i fiat frog 

ht/f], 

44. Primi lege littoris oram.] This 
expression, of coasting near the 
shore, is thought to contradict the 
open sea just now mentioned : but 
I believe what I have said in the 
note on ver. 41. will reconcile this 

seeming contradiction. Mr. B 

would have primi altered to the ad- 
verb primo; and indeed it is pri- 
mum in the King's manuscript, but 
there seems to be no occasion for 
this alteration. Lego in naval affairs 
is always used in Latin for coasting, 
whence, as La Cerda observes, pe- 
lagus legere, which some write, is 
barbarous. 

45. Non hide carmine Jicto, &c] 
" ftuseus and Mr. Dryden under- 
" stand non hie te carmine Jicto rela- 
u tively to the whole work in ge- 
" neral ; but it is plain, Virgil con- 
tl fines it to his invocation, non hie, 
" not in this place. The conclusion 
" seems to carry with it some kind 
" of reflection upon the common 
" tedious forms of invocation, 
<( which, it is probable, Maecenas 
" had been often tired with." Mr. 
B . 

47. Sponte sua, &c] The poet 
had before mentioned the three ways 
| by which wild trees are produced; 
i spontaneously, by roots, and by 
! seeds. Here he mentions them 
j again, and shews by what culture 
jeach sort may be meliorated. 

Oras.] So I read it with Heinsius, 
and La Cerda : it is commonly read 
in luminis auras. This last author 



observes that in luminis oras is a fre- 
quent expression amongst the poets : 
thus Ennius : 

O Romule, Romule die, O 

Qualem te patriae custodem Di genue- 

runt ? 
Tu produxisti nos inter luminis oras. 

And Lucretius: 

Nee sine te quicquam dias in luminis oras 
Exoritur. 

And 

At nunc seminibus quia certis quidque 

creatur, 
Inde enascitur, atque oras in luminis exit, 
Materies ubi inest cujusque et corpora 

prima. 

And 

■ Vivida tellus 

Tuto res teneras effert in lutninis oras. 



And 



Miscetur funere vagor, 



Quern pueri tollunt visentes luminis oras. 

And 

Significare volunt indignos esse putandos, 
Vivam progeniem qui in oras luminis 
edant. 

And 

Turn porro puer, ut saevis projectus ab 

undis 
Navita, nudus humi jacet, infans, indi- 

gus omni 
Vitali auxilio, cum primum in luminis 

oras 
Nixibus ex alvo matris natura profudit. 

And 

Nunc redeo ad mundi novitatem, et 

mollia terrae 
Arva, novo foetu quid primum in luminis 

oras 
Tollere, et incertis tentarit credere ventis. 



120 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



are unfruitful indeed, but fair 
and strong: for nature lies 
hid in the soil. Yet these if 
you graft them, or change 
them by putting them into 
well prepared trenches, will 
put off their wild nature, and 
by frequent culture will be 
not slow to obey any disci- 
pline. And those also, which 
arise barren from the bottom 
of the plant, will do the same, 
if you transplant them into 
the open fields. For the high 
shoots and branches of the 
mother overshadow them, 
and hinder them from bear- 
ing fruit, as they grow up ; 
and scorch it when they bear 
any. The tree which' arises 
from seed, grows slowly, and 
will spread a shade for late 
posterity. 



Infcecunda quidem, sed laeta et fortia surgunt : 
Quippe solo natura subest. Tamen hac quo- 

que si quis 49 

Inserat, aut scrobibus mandet mutata subactis, 
Exuerint sylvestrem animura : cultuque fre- 

quenti 
In quascunque voces artes, haud tarda sequen- 

tur. 
Nee non et sterilis, quae stirpibus exit ab imis, 
Hoc faciet, vacuos si sit digesta per agros. 
Nunc altse frondes, et rami matris opacant, 55 
Crescentique adimunt foetus, uruntqueferentem. 
Jam, quse seminibus jactis se suslulit arbos, 
Tarda venit, seris factura nepotibus umbram. 



And 

Sic unum quicquid paullatim protrahit 

astas 
In medium, ratioque in lum'mis eruit 

oras. 

Thus also our poet himself, in the 
seventh JEneid : 



Quern Rhea sacerdos 



Furtivum partu sub h'.mlnis edidit oras. 

Though here also many editors read 
auras. Fulvius Ursinus looks upon 
the passage now under consideration 
to be an imitation of that line in 
Lucretius : 

Sponte sua nequeunt liquidas existere in 
auras. 

49- Quippe solo natura subest.] 
Some understand solo to mean the 
root of the tree : others interpret it 
the soil or earth, in which it grows. 
By nature's lying hid in the soil, the 
Poet seems to mean, that there is 
some hidden power in the earth, 
which causes it to produce particular 
plants, which therefore grow fair 
and strong in that soil, which is 
adapted to give them birth. 



Tamen hoec quoque si quis, &c] 
The way to tame these luxuriant 
wild trees, is to ingraft a good fruit 
upon them, or to transplant them. 

50. Inserat.] Some have imagined 
erroneously that Virgil means that 
their branches should be ingrafted 
upon other trees ; but this is con- 
trary to practice. Insererc arbor em 
signifies not only to ingraft that tree 
upon another, but also to ingraft 
another upon the stock of that. 

52. Voces.] Pierius says that some 
ancient manuscripts have voles, and 
some velis ; but that voces is most 
approved by the learned. 

56. Crescentique.] In the King's 
and Cambridge manuscripts it is 
crescentesque. If this reading be ad- 
mitted, we must render this passage, 
" and destroy the growing fruits, 
" and scorch the plant which bears 
" them." 

57. JamT\ In the Cambridge,, 
and one of the Arundelian manu-, 
scripts, and in some old printed edi- 
tions, it is nam. 

58. Nepotibus."] Fulvius Ursinus 
contends, contrary to the opinion oi 
all the other commentators, that bj 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



121 



Pomaque degenerant succos oblita priores : 
Et turpes avibus praedam fert uva racemos. 60 
Scilicet omnibus est labor impendendus, et 

omnes 
Cogendae in sulcum, ac multa mercede do- 

mandse. 
Sed truncis Oleae melius, propagine Vites 



And apples degenerate, for- 
getting their former juices : 
and the vine bears sorry clus- 
ters, a food for birds. There- 
fore labour must be bestowed 
on them all, and all must be 
removed into trenches, and 
tamed with much expence. 
But olives succeed best by 
truncheons, vines by layers, 



Nepotes Virgil meant the late pos- 
terity of the tree, which he thinks 
is more poetical, and more worthy 
of Virgil, than the common inter- 
pretation. 

5Q. Pomaque degenerant] Some 
take poma to mean the fruit of the 
tree just mentioned : and indeed 
the ancients seem to have used po- 
mum not only for an apple, but for 
any esculent fruit. Others under- 
stand the poet to speak of the fruit 
of the apple-tree. Of the former 
opinion is La Cerda, who explains 
this passage thus : " Praeterea poma 
* * harum arborum facile degenerant, 
" veluti oblita suam naturam et 
" succos." And Ruaeus, whose in- 
terpretation is in these words : " Et 
" fructus ejus degenerant, amisso 
?' priore sapore." Dry den also 
translates this line in the same 



sense : 

The gen'rous 
decay. 



And Dr. Trapp : 



flavour lost, the fruits 



Its fruit degen'rous proves, 



Losing its native juices. 

Grimoaldus is of the latter opi- 
nion, whose paraphrase runs thus: 
f Quemadmodum pirus abit in pi- 
" rastrum, et mali dulces in amaras, 
" aliaeque in alias transeunt." May's 
translation also is in this sense : 

And apples lose the first good juice they 
had. 

And Mr. B — *s : 

Degenerate apples thus forget their taste. 



60. Turpes avibus praedam fert 
uva racemos.] Uva must be used 
here figuratively for the tree: for 
uva signifies the whole cluster of 
grapes as well as racemus, not a sin- 
gle grape, which is properly called 
acinus or vinaceum. Thus, at the 
latter end of the fourth Georgick; 
we find uva used to express a swarm 
of bees hanging on the branches of 
a tree : 

<- Liquefacta houm per viscera toto 
Stridere apes utero, et ruptis effervere 

costis, 
Immensasque trahi nubes ; jamque ar- 

bore summa 
Confluere, et lentis uvam demittere ramis. 

63. Sed truncis, &c] Here the 
poet speaks of the several ways of 
cultivating trees by human in- 
dustry : and gives us a no less just 
than beautiful description of the 
manner of inoculating and ingraft- 
ing. 

Servius, and after him most of 
the other commentators, think that 
what the poet says here of olives is 
a repetition of what he had said 
before : 

Quin et caudicibus sectis, mirabile dictu ! 
Truditur e sicco radix oleagina ligno. 

In the note on that passage, it is 
shewn, that Virgil speaks of a way 
of cutting the trunk of an olive-tree 
in pieces : and he mentions it as a 
wonder, that the roots should shoot 
from the dry wood. Here he speaks 
of the best way of propagating olives, 
which he says is by truncheons, 



122 P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

foUdwSSi an m * rtlesT, y tte Respondent, solido Paphiae de robore Myrtus. 



which are the thick branches sawn 
in pieces, of a foot or a foot and a 
half in length. These are to be 
planted as fresh as possible, not e 
sicco ligno. Columella, in the seven- 
teenth chapter of his book de Arbo- 
ribus, follows our poet in recom- 
mending the propagation of olives 
by truncheons: " Melius autem 
" truncis quam plantis olivetum 
•* constituitur." The ninth chapter 
of the fifth book of the same author 
is entirely on the culture of olives. 
I shall here set down his description 
of the taleas or truncheons of olive- 
trees. u Turn ramos novellos, pro- 
" ceros, et nitidos, quos compre- 
" hensos manuspossitcircumvenire, 
" hoc est manubrii crassitudine fe- 
" racissimos arboribus adimito, et 
" ex his quam recentissimas taleas 
" recidito, ita ut ne corticem, aut 
" ullam aliam partem, quam quae 
" serra praeciderit, laedas : hoc au- 
" tern facile contingit, si prius va- 
" ram feceris, et earn partem supra 
" quam ramum secaturus es, foeno, 
" aut stramentis texeris, ut molliter, 
" et sine noxa corticis taleae super- 
" positae secentur. Taleae deinde 
<c sesquipedales serra praecidantur, 
" atque earum plagae utraque parte 
" falce leventur, &c." Here he says 
they are to be cut to the length of a 
foot and half; but Cato recommends 
them to be no longer than one foot : 
fe Taleas oleagineas, quas in scrobe 
" saturus eris, tripedaneas decidito, 
" diligenterque tractate-, ne liber 
" laboret. Cum dolabis aut secabis, 
" quas in seminario saturus eris, pe- 
" dales facito." 

Tnmcus is properly a stock of a 
tree, divested of its head: hence 
these taleas, or branches, with their 
heads cut off are called trunci. The 
French derive their word troncon 
from truncus ; and hence comes our 
word truncheon. 



The winters in England are gene- 
rally too severe, to suffer olive-trees 
to be planted in the open ground. 
The way of propagating them here 
is by laying down their tender 
branches, and taking them from the 
mother-plant in about two years. 
This method is so tedious, that most 
people choose to have them from 
Italy in the spring. They are 
usually planted in pots or cases, 
and removed into the green-house 
at the approach of winter. 

Propagine vites respondent."] Vir- 
gil here recommends the propaga- 
tion of vines by layers : which is 
still practised. It is found by ex- 
perience to be a better way to pro- 
pagate them by cuttings; the de- 
scription of which I shall take the 
liberty to set down, in the words of 
my judicious friend Mr. Miller: 
" You should always make choice 
" of such shoots as are strong and 
" well ripened of the last year's 
" growth. These should be cut 
sc from the old vine, just below the 
" place where they were produced, 
" taking a knot of the two years' 
" wood, which should be pruned 
" smooth, then you should cut off 
" the upper part of the shoot, so as 
" to leave the cutting about sixteen 
" inches long." This is the way 
which Columella recommends ; who 
calls this sort of cutting malleolus, 
because it bears no ill resemblance 
to a little hammer. I do not know 
that we have any proper English 
word for malleolus, though it is a 
cutting of a different nature from 
that which is usually taken from 
other trees. Columella mentions 
also the propagation of vines by 
layers, in his seventh book de Arbo- 
ribus. 

64. Solido Paphiae de robore Myr- 
tus.] In one of the Arundelian ma- 
nuscripts it is melius instead of solido 






GEORG. LIB. II. 



123 



Plantis edurse Coryli nascuntur, ct ingens 65 
Fraxinus, Herculeaeque arbos umbrosa coronse, 
Chaonlique patris glandes : etiam ardua palma 



The hard hazels and the vast 
ash, and the tree which 
spreads its shade for the crown 
of Hercules, and the acorns 
of ourChaonian father, grow 
from suckers : this way also 
grows the lofty palm, andithe 



The myrtles are called Paphian 
from Paphos a city of the island Cy- 
prus, where Venus was worshipped. 
The myrtle was sacred to that god- 
dess: see the note on ver. 28. of 
the first book. 

By solido de robore he seems to 
mean planting by sets. Thus Mr. 
B seems to understand him : 



Myrtles by huge boughs. 



With us they are propagated by cut- 
tings, and removed into the green- 
house in winter. 

65. Plantis edurce Coryli nascun- 
tur.] By plantis the poet means 
suckers ; which is a method still in 
common practice : though it is now 
found to be a better way to propa- 
gate them by layers. 

I read edurce with Heinsius, and 
several other good editors. Servius 
reads et durce ; but he says that 
some read edurce, as it were non 
durce; like enodes for sine nodis. 
Pierius says that in some ancient 
manuscripts it is edurce, but in the 
greater part et durce. One of the 
Arundelian manuscripts has et dura?, 
and the other edurce. The King's, 
the Cambridge, and the Bodleian 
manuscripts have et dura?. Both 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts have edurce. 
Grimoaldus, Paul Stephens, La 
Cerda, Schrevelius, and several 
other editors read et dura?, Ruaeus 
and many others read edurce. This 
last commentator interprets edurce, 
valde dura?: and the hazel being 
a hard wood, this interpretation 
seems to be better than that of 
Servius. 

One of the Arundelian manu- 
scripts reads nascentur, instead of 
nascuntur. 



66. Hcrculeceque arbos umbrosa 
corona?.] The tree of Hercules was 
the poplar : thus Theocritus, in his 
second Idy Ilium : 

■ A'cvkccv, 'HgUKhios hgov Egvos '. 



and our poet, in his seventh Eclogue: 

Populus Alcidae gratissima. 

It is certain that the poplar puts 
forth suckers in great abundance. 

67. Chaoniique patris glandes.] 
See the note on ver. 8. of the first 
Georgick. The oak was sacred to 
Jupiter. 

Etiam] In both Dr. Mead's ma- 
nuscripts it is etjam. 

It must not be denied, that not- 
withstanding our poet seems to men- 
tion the oak, palm, and fir, as being 
propagated by suckers, yet these 
trees are never known to produce 
any, nor were they ever propagated 
any other way, than by seeds. It 
has been suggested to me by an in- 
genious friend, that what Virgil 
says of suckers is terminated with 
the end of ver. 66, and that Ckaonii 
patris glandes, fyc. signifies that 
" oaks grow from seeds, as does 
" also the lofty palm, and the fir, 
" which is to try the dangers of the 
" sea." I much question whether 
the words of our author can be 
brought to this sense, but I leave 
it to the determination of the learned 
reader. 

Ardua palma.] The palm (I be- 
lieve) has this epithet on account of 
its great height. Some think it is 
called ardua, because the honour of 
the palm is difficult to be obtained. 
Mr. Miller thinks it is called ardua, 
because " it is with difficulty propa- 
" gated, and is of slow growth, so 
it 2 



124 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



^eif'B^the'mggfcTa?- Nascitur, et casus abies visura marinos. 

bute is ingrafted with the off- T . r : ,, . . , ., 

ipring of the wainut-tree, Insentur vero ex rcetu Nucis arbutus hornda, 



" that the persons who plant the 
" stones, seldom live to taste the 
tf fruit of their labour." 

68. Casus abies visura marinos.] 
The abies is our yew-leaved Jir-tree. 
The wood of this tree was much 
used by the ancients in their ship- 
ping. 

69. Inseritur vero exfoetu nucis 
arbutus horrida.] I believe there is 
no passage, in all the Georgicks, 
which has been more censured, than 
this about grafting : it being a re- 
ceived opinion, that no graft will 
succeed, unless it be upon a stock, 
which bears a fruit of the same 
kind. Hence this is looked upon 
as a mere poetical rant, to talk of 
grafting a walnut on an arbute, an 
apple on a plane, a beech on a ches- 
nut, a pear on a wild ash, and an 
oak on an elm. Whether the pre- 
sent art falls short of that of the 
ancients, or whether our climate 
will not admit of the same advan- 
tages, with the better air of Italy, 
I will not pretend to determine. 
But I shall endeavour to strengthen 
what our poet has said, by the au- 
thority of the best, the most expe- 
rienced, and the most judicious 
prose writer on agriculture, amongst 
the ancients. Columella spends a 
whole chapter, in his book de Arbo- 
ribusj in shewing how any cion 
may be grafted on any stock. I 
shall present the reader with a trans- 
lation of that entire chapter. ' c But 
" since the ancients have denied 
* that every kind of cion may be 
" ingrafted on every tree, and have 
u determined this as a perpetual 
" law, that those cions only can 
" succeed, which are like in outer 
*' and inner bark, and fruit, to those 
" trees on which they are ingrafted, 
" we have thought it proper to re- 



" move this mistake, and deliver 
" to posterity the method by which 
" every kind of cion may be in- 
<f grafted on every kind of tree. 
" But not to tire the reader with 
" a long preface, we shall give 
e ' one example, by following which 
" any one may ingraft whatso- 
" ever kind he pleases on any 
" tree. Make a trench four feet 
" every way from an olive-tree, of 
" such a length that the extremities 
" of the olive-branches may reach 
" it. Into this trench put a young 
" fig-tree, and be careful that it be 
" fair and strong. After three or 
" five years, when it is sufficiently 
" grown, bend down the fairest 
" branch of the olive-tree, and bind 
" it to the fig-stock : and so cutting 
" off the rest of the branches, leave 
" only those which you would in- 
" graft. Then top the fig, smooth 
" the wound, and cleave the middle 
" of the stock with a wedge. Then 
" shave the ends of the olive 
" branches on each side, whilst they 

* grow to the mother plant, and so 
" fit them to the cleft of the fig, 
" and take out the wedge, and bind 
' ' them carefully, that they may not 
" start back. Thus in three years 
" time the fig and olive will unite : 
" and in the fourth year, when they 
" are well incorporated, cut the 
" olive branches from the mother 
" in the same manner as you cut off 
cc layers. By this method every 

* kind of cion is ingrafted upon 
" any tree." 

What I have here quoted is, I 
think, sufficient to justify what the 
poet has related. It cannot be ima- 
gined, that all he says is from his 
own experience : but it was cer- 
tainly thought in his time to be 
practicable. I shall now lay before 






GEORG. LIB. II. 

Et steriles platani malos gessere valentes : 



70 



125 



and barren planes have borne 
strong apple-trees : 



the reader what may be said on the 
other side of the question, in the 
words of Mr. Miller, who has done 
me the favour to communicate the 
following observations. 

" The ancients used two different 
" methods of grafting : the first is 
" by approach ; the other is what 
" the gardeners term clift-grafting. 
(l It is the former method which 
" Columella has described, where 
u he directs the stock, on which the 
" graft is to be inserted, to be 
" planted so near the tree designed 
" to be propagated, as that the 
" branches may be drawn down, 
" and inserted in the stock, without 
li being cut from the parent tree : 
" for he directs the letting it remain 
" two years before it is separated. 
" As to the different kinds of trees, 
" which are mentioned by the poet, 
" to be ingrafted on each other, I 
'* dare affirm it was never practised 
" in any country : so that we must 
tl either suppose the trees, which 
<e now pass under the same appel- 
" lation, to be different from those 
cc known at that time under such 
" names, or that it is a licence taken 
" by the poet to embellish his poem. 
ft What Columella has said to con- 
'f firm this, is no more than what 
" we find in most books of hus- 
" bandry, both ancient and modern ; 
" in which the authors have too 
" frequently spent more time in ex- 
" plaining what they supposed 
" mysteries, than in relating the 
" practice of the most experienced 
u husbandmen. For suppose these 
" things were practicable, there 
" could no advantage arise from it 
" to the practitioner, and it would 
" be only a matter of curiosity, 
" to see the stock of one kind sup- 
" porting a tree of a very different 
' ' one. But all these sorts of trees 



" have been tried on each other, 
" not only in England, but also in 
" Italy, and from all the different 
" experiments which have been 
" made, it is found that no trees of 
" a different kind will take on each 
" other. In several books of gar- 
" dening and husbandry, we find 
" directions how to ingraft one sort 
" of tree on another of any kind ; 
" which is to plant the stock near 
" the tree from which the cion is to 
«« be taken, and when the stock is 
" sufficiently rooted, then you must 
' ' draw down a young branch of the 
" tree, and insert it into the stock 
" as near the ground as possible : 
" then the earth is ordered to be 
" laid round the stock above the 
" place where it was grafted. In 
" this state they were to remain 
" until the second or third year, 
" when they should be cut off from 
" the parent- tree. By this method 
" I have known a pear-tree grafted 
tc on a cabbage stalk, but the stock 
" was of no use to the graft: for 
ec the cion put out roots whereby it 
" maintained itself. But these being 
" little better than jugglers' tricks, 
<c were never practised by persons 
te of experience." 

69. Ex.~\ In one of the Arunde- 
lian manuscripts it is et. 

Ibid. Nuois.~] See the note on ver. 
187. of the first Georgick. 

Ibid. Arbutus.] See the note on 
ver. 148. of the first Georgick. 

Ibid. Horrida.] It is horrens in 
the King's, and both Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts. 

Rueeus thinks that arbutus has 
the epithet korrida, on account of 
the fewness of the leaves : I rather 
believe it is because of the rugged- 
ness of its bark. Servius seems to 
take it in this sense : " horrida 
" autem hispida," says he. The 



126 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



bSS;?n1 the ve mou S Castanese fagos, ornusque incanuit albo 

ash has been hoary with the 
white 






branches also of the arbute are very 
unequal, which the poet seems to 
express in the numbers of this verse. 
Mr. B — takes the arbutus to be our 
crab-tree: and nux to be the fil- 
berd : 

But Jllberds graft on th* horrid crab-tree's 
brows. 

70. Steriles platani malos gessere 
valentes.] The Platanus is our ori- 
ental Plane-tree, without all ques- 
tion. Dionysius the geographer 
compares the form of the Morea, or 
ancient Peloponnesus, to the leaves 
of this tree, making the footstalk to 
be the isthmus, by which it is 
joined to Greece : 

n eA<j{7*<j$ V Icri vrxros o-rnhTy 



Ei%oftiv/i vXa.ra.voio /^vou^ovn vrer»Xq>. 
*Axgw fih ya% totx.iv Ugyopivos fives leSpot, 
Ilgoj /3o££»jv, xai xotvov lip' 'EXXaSos ?%vos 

Igiihav* 
G>vXXa £' nKugos vri(>to*ivyirw zfsgift&rgos, 
KoXvrois ihaXiois Is-^^svjj hS-a xec) hS-a,. 

Pliny also says that the Pelopon- 
nesus is shaped, by the number of 
its bays, like a plane leaf: " Platani 
" folio similis, propter angulosos re- 
" cessus." To illustrate this simi- 
litude, which is as just as we can 
expect in any thing of this nature, 
I have added a figure of the Pelo- 
ponnesus, and of a leaf of a plane- 
tree. The Platanus is so called 
from nXcclvg broad, on account of 
the remarkable breadth of its leaves. 
Pliny tells us this tree was first 
brought over the Ionian sea, into 
the island of Diomedes, for a mo- 
nument for that hero: thence into 
Sicily, and so into Italy. " Sed 
" quis non jure miretur arborem 
" umbrae gratia tantum ex alieno 
" petitam orbe ? Platanus haec est, 
tc per mare Ionium in Diomedis in- 
" sulam ejusdem tumuli gratia pri- 
" mum invecta, inde in Siciliam 



" transgressa, atque inter primas 
" donata Italiae." It seems the an- 
cients had so profuse a veneration 
for this tree as to irrigate it with 
wine ; thus Pliny : <e Tantumque 
" postea honoris increvit, ut mero 
" infuso enutriantur : compertum 
f( id maxime prodesse radicibus, 
" docuimusque etiam arbores vina 
Cf potare/' The poet calls the plane 
barren, because it bears no fruit that 
is eatable. 

71. Castanece fagos.] The com- 
mentators differ greatly about the 
reading of this passage. Servius 
reads castanece fagos, but thinking 
it absurd that a barren beech, as he 
calls it, should be ingrafted on a 
fruitful chesnut, he fancies either 
that it is a hypallage, so that Cas- 
tanet fagos is for fagi castaneas : or 
else that we must make a stop at 
castanece, taking it for the genitive 
case after malos ; and making fagos 
the nominative case with a Greek 
termination, this and the preceding 
verse being to be read thus : 

Et steriles platani malos gessere valentes 
Castanece : fagos, ornusque incanuit, fyc. 

The first of these interpretations is 
such, that, I believe, to mention it 
is to confute it. The second inter- 
pretation is not without its follow- 
ers. Pierius says he has seen cas- 
taneas marked for the genitive case, 
in some ancient copies: and As- 
censius, as he is quoted by Ruaeus, 
contends for this reading. He 
takes malos to signify, not apple- 
trees, but masts : so that the sense 
will be, according to this critic, 
Plane-trees have borne such strong 
branches of chesnuts, that they seem 
to be masts of ships : but this, as 
Ruaeus justly observes, is too harsh. 
Others, says Servius, like neither 
of these interpretations, but make 



p 



-n 




O R II IE 1^ TAIL PILATE TlRIEE 



GEORG. LJB. II. 



127 



Flore pyri, glandemque sues fregere sub Ulmis. »^« ££&£*<£ 

under elms. 



castanece the genitive case after Jlore, 
and read fagus in the nominative 
case singular. Thus it will be, 
" the beech has been hoary with 
u the blossoms of chesnuts, and the 
" mountain ash with those of the 
" pear-tree." Ruaeus follows this 
interpretation, and Mr. B 

Thus chesnut plumes on beech surprise 

the sight, 
And hornbeam blows with pear-tree 

flowers all white. 

Grimoaldus reads castanece fagos, 
and thinks the poet means a wild 
sort of chesnutSy for he paraphrases 
it " in castanea sylvestri fagum." 
La Cerda contends that it should be 
read castaneas fagus. making fagus 
the nominative case plural, like 
laurus, platanus, myrtus, which are 
found in some old copies. Dryden 
seems to have read castaneas fagus: 

Thus mastful beech the bristly chesnut 
bears. 

Dr. Trapp also highly approves of 
this reading : " I entirely agree," 
says he, <( with those who readca-y- 
" taneas fagus, or castanece fagus, 
" in Abramus's sense, [see Ruaeus ;] 
" not castanece fag os. Nobody in 
" his wits would graft a beech upon 
" a chesnut." His translation is 
according to this latter sense : 

■ Chesnuts bloom'd on beech. 

For my part I see no reason to re- 
ject the common reading, castanece 
fagos. Thus Pierius found it in 
the Medicean manuscript : and thus 
I find it in all the seven manu- 
scripts, which I have collated. The 
commentators have been induced 
to alter the text, on a supposition, 
that chesnuts were esteemed, in 
Virgil's time, as much superior to 
beech-mast, as they are now : the 



contrary to which I believe may 
easily be proved. Pliny mentions 
chesnuts, as a very sorry sort of 
fruit, and seems to wonder that 
nature should take such care of 
them, as to defend them with a 
prickly husk : ' e Armatum iis echi- 
" nato calyce vallum, quod inchoa- 
" turn glandibus. Mirumque vi* 
" lissima esse quae tanta occultaverit 
<e cura naturae." We learn from 
the same author that this fruit was 
made better by culture, about the 
time of Tiberius : (l Divus Tiberius 
" postea balanum nomen imposuit, 
" excellentioribus satu factis." The 
mast of the beech was reckoned a 
very sweet nut, and men are said 
to have been sustained by it in a 
siege. (S Dulcissima omnium fagi," 
says Pliny, " ut qua obsessos etiam 
" homines durasse in oppido Chio, 
" tradat Cornelius Alexander." This 
tree was held in great veneration 
by the Romans, vessels made of it 
were used in their sacrifices, and 
the mast was used by them in me- 
dicine. Hence I see no reason to 
doubt that Virgil meant the in- 
grafting a beech on a chesnut: 
though with us, who prefer the 
chesnut, this practice would be 
absurd. 

71. Ormisque incanuit albo Jlore 
Pyri.] What the Romans calleo. 
Ornus seems to be the Sorbus aucu- 
paria or Quicken-tree, which grows 
in mountainous places ; not only in 
Italy, but in many parts, especially 
the northern counties, of England, 
where it is commonly called the 
Mountain Ash. Columella says the 
Ornus is a wild sort of Ash, and 
that its leaves are broader than 
those of the other species : " Sed si 
" aspera et siticulosa loca arboribus 
" obserenda erunt, neque Opulus, 
" neque Ulmus tarn idoneae sunt 



158 



P. VIRGILI1 MARONIS 



Nor are grafting and inoculat- 
ing performed the same way. 
For where the buds thrust 
themselves forth, out of the 
middle of the bark, and break 
the thin membranes, a small 
slit is to be made in the very 
knot ; here they inclose a bud 
from a tree of another sort, 
and teach it to unite with the 
moist rind. Or again the 
unknotty stocks are cut, and 
a way is made into the solid 
wood with wedges, and then 
fruitful cions are put in : and 
in no long time the vast tree 
rises up to heaven with happy 
branches, and wonders at the 
new leaves, and fruits not its 
own. 



Nec modus inserere, atque oculos imponere sim- 
plex. 
Nam qua se medio trudunt de cortice gemmae, 
Et teuues rumpunt tunicas, angustus in ipso 75 
Fit nodo sinus : hue aliena ex arbore germen 
Includunt, udoque docent inolescere libro. 
Aut rursum enodes trunci resecantur, et alte 
Finditur in solidum cuneis via; deinde feraces 
Plantae immittuntur: nec longum tempus, et 
ingens 80 

Exiit ad caelum ramis felicibus arbos, 
Miraturque novas frondes, et non sua poma. 



" quam Orni. Eaa sylvesires Fra- 
u xini sunt, paulo latioribus tarn en 
u foliis quam caeterse Fraxini, nec 
" deteriorem frondem quam Ulmi 
" praestant." 

I have sometimes suspected that 
the Omus may be that sort of Ash, 
from which the manna is said to be 
gathered in Calabria, and which 
Caspar Bauhinus brought out of 
Italy, under the name of Omus 3. 
Galli Brixiani de Re rustica. Both 
he and his brother John Bauhinus 
have called it Fraxinus rolundiore 
folio. 

72. Glandemque sues fregere sub 
Ulmis.'] In the King's, and one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts, I find 
glandes instead of glandem. 

Pliny has committed an error in 
quoting this passage, for he says 
that Virgil speaks of ingrafting 
cherries upon elms : " Quippe cum 
« Virgilius insitam nucibus arbutum, 
" malis platanum, cerasis ulmum 
« dicat." 

73. Inserere atque ocidos impo- 
nere.] Here the poet shews the dif- 
ference between grafting and in- 
oculating. Inoculation, or budding, 
is performed by making a slit in 
the bark of one tree, and inserting 
the bud of another into it. There 



are several ways of grafting now in 
use, but the only one, which Virgil 
describes, is what we call cleft- 
grafting, which is performed by 
cleaving the head of the stock, and 
placing a cion from another tree in 
the cleft. 

78. Trunci.'] We call the body 
of a tree the trunk : but truncus is 
not used for the body, unless the 
head be cut off. The body of a 
tree, when it is adorned with its 
branches, is called caudex or codex. 

82. Miraturque.} Servius reads 
mirata eslque. 

To conclude the notes on this 
passage about ingrafting and inocu- 
lating : it seems impossible not to 
observe the beautiful manner in 
which our poet has described them. 
The variety of expression which he 
has used in speaking of the different 
sorts of ingrafted trees, and the 
various epithets he bestows on them, 
render this passage exceedingly de- 
lightful. The arbute is distin- 
guished by its ruggedness ; the 
plane by its barren shade ; and the 
pear by its snowy blossoms. It 
would have become a prose writer, 
simply to have said that any cion 
may be ingrafted on any stock : 
but a poet must add beauty to his 



GEORG. LIB. IE 



129 



Preeterea genus haud unum, nee fortibus ulmis, Snfsort'Sf Jt!S™Jim S ?S 

XT v • i .*. ti ' •• a a willows, of lotes, and of 

Nee sahci, lotoque, neque Idaeis cypanssis: 84 wasan cypresses : 



instructions, and convey the plain- 
est precepts in the most agreeable 
manner. Thus Virgil, after he had 
said that walnuts are ingrafted on 
arbutes, apples on planes, and 
beeches on chesnuts, adorns the 
wild ash with the fine blossoms of 
the pear: and instead ©f barely 
telling us that oaks may be in- 
grafted on elms, he represents the 
swine crunching acorns under elms, 
than which nothing can be more 
poetical. At the close of this pas- 
sage, he gives life and sense to his 
ingrafted trees ; making them won- 
der at the unknown leaves and 
fruits with which they are loaded. 

83. Preeterea genus, fyc] In this 
passage the poet just mentions, that 
there are several species of trees, 
and speaks of the infinite variety of 
fruits. 

The two first lines of Dryden's 
translation are intolerable : 

Of vegetable woods are various kinds, 
And the same species are of sev'ral minds. 

Ulmis.] Theophrastus speaks of 
two sorts of elm : Pliny mentions 
four. 

84. Salici.~] Pliny speaks of four 
sorts of willow. 

Loto.~] There is a tree, and also 
an herb, called Lotus by the an- 
cients. The herb is mentioned by 
Homer, as being fed upon by the 
horses of Achilles, 

Aarov Igtvrofiiivoi iXioS-gitfrov rt triXivov. 

It grows in great plenty in the Nile, 
where they make bread of the heads 
of it. Prosper Alpinus, an author 
of good credit, who travelled into 
Egypt, assures us, that the Egyp- 
tian Lotus does not at all differ from 
pur great white water lily. But it 
is the tree which Virgil here speaks 



of: and which gave name to a peo- 
ple mentioned by Homer in his 
ninth Odyssey : 

Ol V aty' ol%oftsvoi fiiytv avSgun AuroQu- 

yoifiv. 
Ovl? a/nt. AaVofyayoi f*rioov!¥ Irugoifftv oktS-gov 
'Hpirigoii, a>.Xei er^i Sofav "kwrolo tfucraoS-ai. 
Tuv V os-if XairoTo tpayoi piXr/iYuz, xetgtfov, 
Ovk $V a.ira.yyu'ktt.i tfuXiv ijS-iXiv, wit 

'AAA.' avrav (ZouXovro fitr u.vhgu.<ti Auro- 

(petyottri 
Aarov igsvrjofttvot [Ainpiv, vofou rt XaSiffSui. 

They went, and found a hospitable race : 
Not prone to ill, nor strange to foreign 

guest, 
They eat, they drink, and nature gives 

the feast ; 
The trees around them all their food 

produce, 
Lotos the name, divine nectareous juice ! 
(Thence call'd Lotophagi) which whoso 

tastes, 
Insatiate riots in the sweet repasts, 
Nor other home, nor other care intends, 
But quits his house, his country, and his 

friends. 

Mr. Pope. 

Theophrastus describes this tree to 
be something less than a pear-tree; 
he says its leaves are cut about the 
edges, and like those of the Ilex or 
ever-green oak. He adds, that there 
are several sorts of them, differing 
according to their fruit, which is of 
the size of a bean, and grows thick 
upon the branches like myrtle ber- 
ries : "Eft cil rov Aarov to t ulv i'diov 
y'ivog, iv{*tyi3-i$, jjA/xov cttfios, Jj ftixfiv 
zX&tIov. <pvAAov $1 hropois '{%tv xxi ir^t- 
vvdig .... ysvjj dl eevrov 7C>.%i<a dixQopus 
lyjuvTcc rats xuf>7rois. o oi kch.qtcqs yiXiko*; 

tCVUftOq .... (piliTOit ol KCtS-OCTTtp T» [AVPTOt 

Pliny has translated Theophrastus 
almost word for word, with very 
little addition. He informs us h o w- 
ever that it was frequent in Italy, 
where it had degenerated : ' ' Eadem 
S 



130 P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

nor do the fat olives, ^ec pingues unam in faciem nascuntur olivae, 



" Africa qua vergit ad nos, insignem 
" arborem Loton gignit, quam vo- 
" cant celtin, et ipsam Italic? fami- 
" Harem, sed terra mutatam." It 
must indeed have very much dege- 
nerated, if it be, as most botanists 
agree, that which we call the nettle 
tree : the fruit of which is far from 
that delicacy, which is ascribed to 
the Lotus of the ancients. The 
leaves are indeed cut about the 
edges: but he must have a warm 
imagination, who can find in them 
any resemblance of the ilex. Hence 
some critics have taken the liberty 
to alter the text of Theophrastus, 
reading 7r^iuvS^ instead of -x^ivcShg, 
that is, serrated, or indented like a 
saw, instead of like those of the ilex. 
But, if we should allow this emen- 
dation, it would not answer our 
purpose : for, either bropois t%ov cut 
about the edges, an&tt^Mwhg serrated, 
mean the very same thing, and so 
Theophrastus would be guilty of 
tautology ; or else the first must be 
interpreted sinuated, which is not 
true of the nettle-tree. Besides, in 
Pliny's time, it certainly was 7r^ivuh§; 
for he translates this passage: 
" Incisurae folio crebriores, alioquin 
" ilicis viderentur." 

It seems to me more probable 
that the Lotus of the Lotophagi is 
what we now call Zizyphus or the 
Jujube-tree. The leaves of this are 
about an inch and a half in length, 
and about one inch in breadth, of a 
shining green colour, and serrated 
about the edges: wherefore they 
are much more like the leaves of 
the ilex, than those of the nettle- tree 
can be imagined to be. The fruits 
grow thick upon the branches, ac- 
cording to what Theophrastus 
says of the A»to?. They are of the 
shape and size of olives, and the 
pulp of them has a sweet taste, like 
honey, which agrees with what 



Homer says of this tree; that it has 
[MXivdi* kx£7tov. They are sent over 
dried, from Italy. 

There is another sort of Lotus 
mentioned by Theophrastus, dif- 
ferent from that of the Lotophagi, 
which he calls also xxXtov^og. This 
is thought, not without reason, to 
be that which Prosper Alpinus tells 
us the Egyptians call Nabca. It is 
described and figured by that learned 
author, in his book de Plantis 
JEgypii, page 7,8. This is thought 
also to be the lotus described by 
Polybius, as we find him quoted by 
Athenaeus. Virgil has mentioned 
the Paliurus, in his fifth Eclogue : 

■ Spinis surgit Paliurus acutiS. 

Idatis cyparissis.] He calls the cy- 
press Idcean, from Ida, a mountain 
of Crete. Theophrastus tells us this 
tree is so familiar to that island, that 
it comes up there spontaneously, if 
you do but turn up the earth : 'E»««- 
yp 3s etv fiovov vTri^rxa-avrect xxi xnitratriii, . 
tv$v$ ccvotZxccrxviiv rec olxiix r*$ ##g«$. 
axj-Ki^ b K^tvi xv7rei^trloi. 

85. Nee pingues unam in faciem 
nascuntur olivce.] X nere are many 
sorts, or varieties, of olives : though 
they are not so numerous as apples, 
pears, and plumbs. Cato mentions 
eight sorts; oleam conditivam, ra- 
dium majorem, sallentinam, orchitem, 
poseam, sergianam, colminianam, al- 
bicerem. Columella says, that ten 
sorts only had come to his know- 
ledge : though he thinks there are 
more. The names of the ten men- 
tioned by Columella are; Pausia, 
algiana, liciniana, sergia, nevia, cul- 
minia, orchis, regia, circites, murtea. 
He mentions the radius also soon 
after : but that may probably be only 
another name for one of the ten. 
There are many more sorts men- 
tioned by Pliny, and other authors ; 
the same fruit obtaining, as I sup- 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



131 



Orchites, et radii, et amara pausia bacca : 86 SStE&^tetJffi 

ries, grow in the same form : 



pose, different names, in different 
provinces, and at different times. 
Thus we find in Pliny, that the ser- 
gia was called regia by the Sabines : 
and yet Columella sets these down 
as two different sorts. Matthiolus 
informs us, that there were no more 
than three sorts known in his time 
in Tuscany : " Virgilius trium tan- 
" turn generum meminerit, quem- 
" admodum etiam plura non no- 
" vit hac nostra aetate Hetruria, 
<c praesertimque noster Senensis 
" ager." 

86. Orchites.] Most of the manu- 
scripts I have seen have orchades. 
The same reading is in the Medi- 
cean, and other ancient manuscripts. 
Heinsius also, La Cerda, Ruaeus, 
and most of the editors read orcha- 
des. One of Dr. Mead's manu- 
scripts has orchades, radiique, mak- 
ing the middle syllable of orchades 
long. Servius reads orchites, which 
I take to be right, because I find it 
spelt in that manner by the prose 
writers of agriculture; and par- 
ticularly by Pliny, when he quotes 
this very passage of Virgil : (t Ge- 
" nera earum tria dixit Virgilius, 
" orchites, et radios, et pausias." 
The orchis is a round olive, being 
so called from o£%i?, a testicle. Co- 
lumella says that it is fitter for 
eating, than to make oil : " Orchis 
' f quoque et radius melius ad escam, 
" quam in liquorem stringitur." 
Pliny says the orchis abounds most 
in oil : " Prima ergo ab autumno 
" colligitur, vitio operas non na- 
" turae, pausia cui plurimum carnis: 
u mox orchites, cut olei." It seems 
to be the same with that which Cae- 
salpinus, who was of Arezzo in Tus- 
cany, tells us the modern Italians 
call Olivola, being a small round 
olive, yielding abundance of oil. 
" Nostratium, quae minores, rotun- 



<c dioresque, plurimum olei haben- 
" tes, olivolce vocantur." Matthio- 
lus says that the olive, which pro- 
duces the best oil, and in greatest 
quantities, is called olivastre: that 
it is a large spreading tree, as big 
as a walnut-tree ; " Proximae, turn 
" colore, turn magnitudine prae- 
" stantes, quamvis praedictis longe 
" minores sint, sunt tamen omnium 
" aptissimas ad olei conficiendi 
" usum : quippe quod oleum ex eis 
" expressum sit non modo flavum, 
" dulce, pellucidum, ac caeteris 
u praestans, sed etiam copiosum. 
" Gignuntur haec a procerissimis 
" oleis, praegrandibus, juglandium 
" nucum instar, ramos in altum la- 
" tumque amplissime fundentibus, 
" eas rura nostra olivastre vulgo 
" vocant/' Hence I take the orchis 
of Virgil, the olivola of Caesalpinus, 
and the olivastre of Matthiolus to 
be the same sort of olive. 

Radii.'] The radius is a long olive, 
so called from its similitude to a 
weaver's shuttle. There was a 
larger and a smaller sort of radius : 
for Cato, in the passage quoted in 
the note on ver. 85. mentions the 
radius major; and Columella in 
lib. xii. cap. 47. speaks of the ra- 
diolus. Caesalpinus mentions only 
the large sort, which, he says, are 
large and long, yielding a very 
sweet oil, but in small quantities, 
and are called raggiarice from radius: 
" Quae majusculae et oblongae, dul- 
" cissimum oleum reddentes, sed 
( l parcius, raggiarice a radiis nomine 
u deflexo." These seem to be the 
same with the first sort mentioned 
by Matthiolus, which he says are 
large olives, produced from small 
trees, and are generally pickled, 
because they yield but a little oil : 
" Primum harum genus eas nostri 
" faciunt, quae licet a minoribus 
S2 



132 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



neither do apples, and the 
woods of Alcinous: nor are 
the shoots the same of the 
Crust umian and Syrian pears, 
and of the heavy volemi. Nor 
does the same vintage hang 
on our trees, as Lesbos gathers 
from the Methymnaean vine. 
There are Thasian vines, and 
there are white Mareotides ; 



Pomaque, et Alcinoi sylvae: nee surc'ulus idem 
Crustumiis, Syriisque pyris, gravibusque volemis. 
Non eadem arboribus pendet vindemia nostris, 
Quam Methymnseo carpit de palmite Lesbos. 
Sunt Thasiae vites, sunt et Mareotides albae : 91 



tc olearum plantis proferantur, sunt 
" tamen spectata forma et magnitu- 
<e dine, Bononiensibus non quidera 
' ' inferiores : his tantum muria as- 
ce servatis utuntur in cibis : quando- 
ff quidem oleae minus aptae sunt, 
" quod multo plus amurcae quam 
" olei fundant." 

Amara pausia bacca.~] The poet 
mentions the bitter berry of this sort 
of olive, because it is to be gathered 
before it is quite ripe ; for then it 
has a bitter or austere taste. But 
when it is quite ripe, it has a very 
pleasant flavour, according to Co- 
lumella : " Bacca jucundissima est 
" pausiae." Cato, when he is speak- 
ing of making green oil, says you 
must choose the roughest olive: 
" Quam acerbissima olea oleum 
" facies, turn oleum optimum erit." 
Pliny has almost the same words : 
" Oleum quam acerbissima oliva 
ec optimum fieri." And Columella 
calls the Pausian olive acerba : 
<e Acerbam pauseam mense Sep- 
" tembri vel Octobri, dum adhuc 
" vindemia est, contunde." 

87. Poma.~\ Columella mentions 
nine sorts of apples, as the most ex- 
cellent: " Praeterea malorum ge- 
" nera exquirenda maxime scan- 
<c diana, matiana, orbiculata, sex- 
,f tiana, pelusiana, amerina, syrica, 
" malimela, cydonia." Pliny men- 
tions twenty-nine sorts : but in these 
are included citrons and several 
other fruits which we do not now 
call apples. 

Alcinoi sylvce.'] The gardens of 
Alcinous, in which were groves of 
fruit trees, are celebrated in the se- 
venth Odyssey. 



8S. Crustumiis, Syriisque pyris, 
gravibusque volemis.] The Crustu- 
mia, or, as others call them, crus- 
lumina, were reckoned the best sort 
of pears. Columella gives them the 
first place in his catalogue; and 
Pliny says they are the best fla- 
voured. " Cunctis autem crustu- 
" mina gratissima." Whether they 
are any sort of pears now known is 

uncertain: Mr. B translates 

them warden pears. 

The Syrian pears are called also 
Tarentina, according to Columella. 
They are thought by some to be the 
bergamot. 

The volemi are so called, quia vo- 
lam manus impleant ; because they 
fill the palm of the hand. Ruaeus 
thinks they are the bon chreiien, and 
that those are mistaken, who con- 
found them with the libralia of Pli- 
ny, which are the pound pears. Dry- 
den however differs from Ruaeus : 

Unlike are bergamots and pounder 
pears. 

And Mr. B 

The same variety the orchard bears, 
In warden, bergamot, and pounder 
pears. 

90. Methymnceo.'] Methymna is 
a city of Lesbos, an island of the 
iEgean sea, famous for good wine. 

91. Thasioe vites.] Thasus is an- 
other island of the same sea. The 
Thasian wine is mentioned by Pliny, 
as being in high esteem : " In 
ec summa gloria post Homerica ilia, 
" de quibus supra diximus, fuere 
<c Thasium, Chiumque." 

Mareotides albce.] It is disputed 
whether these vines are so called 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



133 



Pihguibiis hae terris habiles, levioribus illae: 
Et passo psythia utilior, tenuisque lageos, 



the one thrives in a fat loil, 
and the other in a light one : 
and the Psythian, which is 
fitter to be used dry, and the 
light lageos, 



from Mareia, or Mareotis, a lake 
near Alexandria; from Mareotis, a 
part of Africa, called also Marma- 
rica, and now Barca ; or from Ma- 
reotis, a part of Epirus. Columella 
seems to be of the latter opinion, 
for he calls them Greek vines : 
" Nam quae Graeculae vites sunt, ut 
" Mareoticae, Thasiae, Psythiae, fyc." 
Athenaeus is of the former opinion, 
and says the best JVIareotic or Alex- 
andrian wine is white. But Pliny 
expressly says the Alexandrian grape 
is black. " Alexandrina appellatur 
" vitis circa Phalacram brevis, ra- 
(C mis cubitalibus, acino nigro." 
Horace seems to countenance the 
opinion that the Mareotic was an 
Egyptian wine; for he represents 
Cleopatra as inebriated with it : 

Mentemque lymphatam Mareotico 
Redegit in veros timores 
Caesar. 

Strabo is quoted, as ascribing the 
Mareotic wine to Marmarica : but I 
think unjustly. The place referred 
to is in the seventeenth book: which 
if the reader will carefully consult, 
he will find, I think, that this part 
of Africa did not bear good wine : 
MiTcc%v oi 7rgwT0v ply ax^oc tevxoyuog , 

XiVXi) CCXTt) XXXovfAiVY). £5T£<TflS QoiVlXOVg 
hl[AW,1C0l) 7TVtyiVS X6)fiV). UTOL Vvj<rO$ 7TVI- 
^OVICC "KiplVCL SfcOVG-et. UT dvTl'(p£0ll, ftlXgOV 

a.7ve>>Tiqa rm SaXxTlng . gcvug-x [aiv jj yfiiqct, 
ctvrn »vx ivowog, 7rteio) eiexof&zvov rou 
xigoif&ov B-ocXocrioiv, *j oivov, ov dq XOthOVCl 
AiQvxov. a $q xxt ra Zfow to 7roXv Qvhov 
X^rxi ruv 'AAg|fl6v^£&/v. Here we see, 
that the Lybian wine was in no 
esteem, and that it served only for 
the use of the common people of 
Alexandria. But he plainly enough 
ascribes the Mareotic wine to the 
country about the lake Mareia: 



xoti 6iv(>o, •xXu.rog p.vi t^tt 7r>.iiovm, n 
7rtVTYiKovT» xxt Ixarh fecdi'av, [AVtXOg S* 
Ihotrlowv « r^txxoo-totv. "Exit 2e oxreif 
vviff-ovg, xou ret fcvx.hu iroivloc, cixcvfiivoi 
xotXcHg. Evoiv/cc ri If/ 7T£g* rovg ro%ovg t 
co?i xxi Hix<pi7o~$ott irfig Trot.'Kodarti rot 
Mct£c<iwTtv ohov. The same author 
tells us expressly, in another place 
of the same book, that this lake 
Mareia, or Mareotis, is on the south 
side of Alexandria : 'ApQtxXvrov n 
yu.% Wi to yjuqIov ooo~t 7iri'hccyio't i rb f&it 
cc7ro tojv &£XTm ra Aiywrla Xiyopivai, 
rb dl ot7ro [Ato"np,&gio&g rS rvig Xipcvvig rtj^ 
MotQu'ctg, q xcu Mx^iung teyirxi. Stra- 
bo indeed makes Egypt to extend 
as far as to Catabathmus, which 
must comprehend the whole Mare- 
otis Lybia, which, according to 
Pliny, extends from Catabathmus 
to Alexandria. Now, as the lake 
Mareotis is on the borders of Egypt 
and Lybia, the Mareotic vines may 
be supposed to have grown in either 
of these countries. But as Strabo 
plainly distinguishes between the 
Lybian and Mareotic vines, I believe 
we may venture to conclude, that 
they grew on the Egyptian side of 
the lake Mareotis : that there were 
both black and white grapes in that 
country : and therefore that the poet 
added the epithet white, because they 
were better than the black sort. 

93. Passo psythia utilioi\] Passum 
is a wine made from raisins, or dried 
grapes. Columella has described 
the manner of making it, in lib. xii. 
cap. 39. It is called passum from 
patior according to Pliny : te Quin 
" et a patientia nomen acinis datur 
" passis." 

Tenuis lageos.~\ The lageos is so 
called from hayag a hare, on account 
of its colour. This was not an Ita- 
lian, but a foreign wine, as we are 
informed by Pliny; " Dixit Virgi- 



134 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



t$%^$%£Z£g, Tentatura pedes dim, vincturaque linguam ; 94 

there are purple and early -p> . • j* 

ripe grapes : and how shaii i rurpureae, preciaeque, et quo te carmine dicam 

praise thee, O Rhaetian grape r 



" lius Thasias et Mareotidas, et La- 
" geas, compluresque externas, quae 
" non reperiuntur in Italia." Ser- 
vius interprets tenuis, penetrabilis, 
quae cito descendit ad venas. Some 
think that tenuis signifies weak, and 
therefore that the poet uses olim, to 
signify that it will be long before it 
affects the head. I take tenuis in 
this place to signify what we call a 
light wine. Dioscorides opposes the 
light wines to the thick black wines: 

0< 02 TrXftUS KXl ftlXeiViS KXKO^OfAX^Ot, 
<PVTTC0OUq 3 FX^KOg ftivTCl yi))V7\TlK6l. CI 
[AiVTOl Xl7r\o) KXl Xl/fYlgOt iV^Of^X^Ot. 

95. Precice,] " Precise, quasi prae- 
" coquae," says Servius, *' quod ante 
" alias coquantur." 

Quo te carmine dicam, Rhcetica ?~\ 
Rhaetia is a country bordering upon 
Italy. It has been questioned whe- 
ther this expression of Virgil is in- 
tended to praise the Rhaetian wines 
or not. Seneca in his first book of 
natural questions, cap. 11. speaking 
of the parhelia, is in doubt what 
Latin name to give them, and asks 
whether he shall imitate Virgil's ex- 
pression, where he is in doubt how 
to call the Rhaetian vine : " His 
' ' quod nomen imponimus ? An fa- 
" cio quod Virgilius, qui dubitavit 
" de nomine, deinde id de quo du- 
" bitaverat, posuit ? 

" Et quo te nomine dicam 

" Rhaetica ? nee cellis ideo contende Fa- 
" lernis." 

Here Seneca certainly understood 
Virgil's meaning to be, that he was 
in doubt what to say of this sort of 
vine. But I think his authority in 
this place not very great, because he 
seems not to have read our poet 
very carefully. Virgil did not say 
nomine, but carmine : he was in no 
doubt about the name of the vine, 



but how he should celebrate it. 
Servius tells usthatCato commended 
this grape, and that Catullus spoke 
in contempt of it : and that Virgil 
therefore judiciously kept a middle 
way, and made a doubt whether he 
should praise or dispraise it. Ful- 
vius Ursinus thinks this interpre- 
tation very insipid. Let us see now 
what reason there is to think that 
Virgil intended absolutely to praise 
the Rhaetian vine. I shaD first quote 
the authority of Strabo, who tells us 
that the Rhaetian wine was highly 
esteemed : O/ piv ovv 'TxTtci f^x^i tjjs 
IrxXixg xxSqxovirt, t>j; V7rsg Owjga/yos 
Kxi Katpcov, kx} oyt Fxirixog oivag tmv i* 
ro7s IrxXixaJg 67rxivov^.iyut ovk »7roXu- 
7ri<r$xi lioxui, h rxig rovrm v^a^uxtg 
ymroi. The next author I shall 
quote is Pliny, who understood 
our poet to mean, that the Rhaetian 
vine was second to none but the 
Falernian: " In Veronensi item 
" Rhaetica, Falernis tantum postha- 
" bita a Virgilio." He speaks of it 
in another place, as a grape in high 
esteem : " Et Rhaetica in maritimis 
" Alpibus appellata, dissimilis lau- 
" dates illi." We learn from the 
same author, that Tiberius intro- 
duced another sort of wine, but that 
till then the Rhaetian was most 
esteemed : " Aliis gratiam qui et 
" vinis fumus affert fabrilis, iisque 
" gloriam praecipuam in fornacibus 
" Africae Tiberii Caesaris autoritas 
" fecit. Ante eum Rhaeticis prior 
" mensa erat, et uvis Veronensium 
" agro." But what has the most 
weight with me in this argument 
is, that Suetonius has informed us, 
that this wine was the favourite of 
Augustus Caesar : " Maxime delec- 
" tatus est Rhaetico." Surely Vir- 
gil was not so ill a courtier, as to 
make a doubt whether he should 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



135 



Rhaetica ? nee cellis ideo contende Falernis. 96 
Sunt etiam Ammineae vites, firmissima vina, 
Tmolius adsurgit quibus, et rex ipse Phanaeus, 
Argitisque minor : cui non certaverit ulla, 
Aut tantum fluere, aut totidem durare per annos. 
Non ego te, Dis, et mensis accepta secundis, 101 



but however thou must not 
contend with the Falernian 
cellars. There are also Am- 
minean vines, which yield 
the best bodied wine : which 
the Tmolian, and even the 
Phanasan king reverences : 
and the smaller Argit is, which 
none can rival, either in yield- 
ing so much juice, or in last- 
ing so many years. Nor shall 
I pass thee over, O Rhodian 
grape, which art so grateful 
to the gods, and to second 
courses; 



praise or dispraise that wine which 
his Emperor applauded : though he 
confesses at the same time that he 
must be so sincere as to prefer the 
Falernian wine before it. 

96. Nee cellis ideo contende Faler- 
nis.'] Pierius found adeo instead of 
ideo j in some ancient manuscripts, 
which he thinks more elegant. 

Falernus is the name of a moun- 
tain of Campania, famous for the 
best wine. 

97» Sunt etiam Amminece vites, fir- 
missima vina.] One of the Arunde- 
lian manuscripts has sunt et Ammi- 
nece: XheoXherh&ssuntetAminece. This 
last reading is in one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts, and is admitted by 
Servius, Paul Stephens, La Cerda, 
and several other editors. The 
Cambridge, and the other manu- 
script of Dr. Mead has sunt et Ani- 
mee, which is an easy mistake of the 
transcribers for Aminece. The old 
Nurenberg edition has suntque Ami- 
nece. Pierius says the Medicean and 
Vatican manuscripts have sunt etiam 
Amminece: it is the same in the 
King's and the Bodleian manu- 
scripts. This reading is approved 
by Heinsius, Ruaeus, Masvicius, and 
most of the modern editors. Ami- 
neum vinum, says Servius, quasi sine 
minio, id est, rubore, nam album est. 
But this seems to be an imagination 
of his own, not founded on any good 
authority. 

98. Tmolius adsurgit quibus, et 
rex ipse Phanceus.~] Most of the 
editors read Tmolus et adsurgit. 
Some have Tmolus adsurgit, but 
this is objected to by the gramma- 



rians, because there is no instance 
of a hexameter verse beginning 
with a trochee. To avoid this im- 
propriety, perhaps they stuck in et, 
for which there is no occasion, if 
we read Tmolius, according to the 
Medicean, the Vatican, and the 
King's manuscripts. This reading is 
approved by Pierius, Heinsius, and 
Masvicius. I find it also in several 
of the oldest printed editions. In 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts it is 
mollius assurgit. I have spoken of 
Tmolus in the note on ver. 56. of the 
first book. This mountain was 
very famous for wine : thus Ovid : 

Africa quot segetes, quot Tmolia terra 
racemos. 

Phanae or Phanaea is the name of a 
mountain of Chios, now called Scio. 
The Chian wines are abundantly ce- 
lebrated by the Greek and Roman 
writers. 

9Q. Argitis."] This is thought to 
be so called from Argos, a city, and 
kingdom in the Morea, or ancient 
Peloponnesus. Some think it is 
derived from u^yog, white, in which 
sense May has translated it : 

And white grapes, less than those. 

101. Dis el mensis. ~\ So I find it 
in the King's, the Cambridge, the 
Bodleian, and one of the Arunde- 
lian manuscripts. In the other 
Arundelian, it is Dis aut mensis. In 
both Dr. Mead's manuscripts, it is 
mensis et Dis ; which order of the 
words is preferred by Pierius, 
wherein he is followed by most of 
the editors. He acknowledges how- 



136 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



nor thee, O Bumastus, with 
swelling clusters. But the 
many species, and the names 
of them are without number : 
nor is there occasion to relate 
their number : which, he that 
would count, might as well 
number the sands of the Ly- 
bian sea, that are tossed with 
the west wind, or the Ionian 
waves, that dash against the 
shore, when a strong east- 
wind falls upon the ships. 
But neither can every sort of 
land bear all sorts of trees. 
Willows grow about rivers, 
and alders in muddy marshes : 



Transierim, Rhodia, et tumidis, bumaste, race- 



mis. 



Sed neque quam multae species, nee nomina quae 

sint, 
Est numerus ; neque enim numero comprendere 

refert: 104 

Quern qui scire velit, Lybici velit aequoris idem 
Discere quam multae Zephyro turbentur arenae : 
Aut ubi navigiis violentior incidit eurus, 
Nosse, quot Ionii veniant ad litora fluctus. 
Nee vero terrae ferre omnes omnia possunt. 
Fluminibus salices, crassisque paludibus alni 110 



ever that Dis et mensis is in most of 
the ancient manuscripts he has seen: 
and this reading is approved by 
Heinsius, and Masvicius. 

The first course was of flesh ; and 
the second, or dessert, of fruit : at 
which they poured out wine to the 
gods, which was called libation. 
Therefore when the poet says the 
Rhodian wine is grateful to the gods 
and to second courses, he means it 
was used in libations, which were 
made at these second courses ; or 
perhaps, that the wine was poured 
forth, and the grapes served up, as 
part of the dessert. 

102. Tumidis bumaste racemis.~] 
One of Dr. Mead's manuscripts has 
gravidis, instead of tumidis. The 
bumasti are so called, because they 
are large clusters, swelling like great 
udders: thus Pliny: tg Tumunt 
" vero mammarum modo bumasti." 

103. Sed neque quam multce spe- 
cies, nee nomina qum sint, est nume- 
rus.'] Pliny tells us that Democritus 
alone thought, that the different 
sorts of vines were to be numbered, 
but that others thought they were 
infinite: " Genera vitium numero 
" comprehend! posse unus existi- 
" mavit Democritus, cuncta sibi 
" Graeciae cognita professus. Cae- 



" teri innumera atque infinita esse 
" prodiderunt, quod verius appa- 
" rebit ex vinis." 

105. Velit. ~] It is volet in one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 

Lybici velit aequoris idem, SfC.~] 
This seems to be an imitation of 
Theocritus, in his sixteenth Idyl- 
hum. 

'AAA.' Jiros yag o poxB-os, It k'on x.vfiavtt 
"Offer* aviju.o$ xioffovtii fitrec yXecuxeis k>.o; 

109. Nec vero terras, §c7\ The 
poet now informs us, that different 
plants require different soils : he 
mentions several considerable trees, 
by which the countries that pro- 
duce them may be distinguished; 
and concludes with a beautiful de- 
scription of the citron-tree. 

Half this verse is taken from Lu- 
cretius, lib. i. ver. 167. 

Ferre omnes omnia possent. 



110. Fluminibus salices.~\ The 
author of the books of plants, 
ascribed to Aristotle, says that wil- 
lows grow either in dry or wet 
places : Tivot plv Zfitrn h tottok; vyge?s, 
ny» £s |>jg«<V, rtvx Iv hcxri^g, as n inx. 
It would be wasting time, to pro- 



GEORG. LIB* II. 



137 



Na*cuntur: steriles saxosis montibus orni: 
Littora myrtetis laetissima : denique apertos 
Bacchus amat colles, aquilonem et frigora taxi. 
Aspice et extremis domitum cultoribus orbem, 
Eoasque domos Arabum, pictosque Gelonos. 1 1 5 



the barren wild ashes on rocky 
mountains : the sea shores a- 
bound with myrtles: lastly 
the vine loves open hills, and 
vews the northern cold. Be- 
hold also the most distant 
parts of the cultivated globe, 
both the eastern habitations 
of the Arabians, and the 
painted Geloni. 



duce innumerable quotations from 
other authors, to shew that wet 
grounds are the proper soil for wil- 
lows : sinoe it is confirmed by daily 
experience. 

Crassis paludibus.] Servius inter- 
prets crassis, lutosis, naluraliter : 
Grimoaldus's paraphrase is, " Alni 
" gaudent paludibus, el Into repletis 
<f locis." Mr. Evelyn says, " The 
" Alder is of all the other the most 
" faithful lover of watery and boggy 
" places, and those most despised 
" weeping parts, or water- galls of 
" forests ; for in better and dryer 
n ground they attract the moisture 
" from it, and injure it." 

111. Orni.] See the note on ver. 
71. 

114. Extremis domitum cultoribus 
crbem.] Servius thinks the prepo- 
sition cum is to be understood here, 
and that these words are to be ren- 
dered " the farthest part of the earth 
" subdued together with its hus- 
" bandmen." He supposes the poet 
designs a complimenttothe Romans, 
who had subdued those nations. 
Grimoaldus, La Cerda, and most of 
the commentators follow this inter- 
pretation. Ruaeus gives the sense 
which I have followed in my trans- 
lation. May follows Servius : 



" cording to the sense of all the 
" commentators, except Ruaeus. — 
" Orbem domitum \jl Romanis, una 
" cum] extremis [suis] cultoribus. 
" Though I confess it is strained, 
" and harsh ; and Ruaeus' s is more 
•' natural. — Orbem domitum ; for 
l ' subactum ; i. e. cultum [ab] extre- 
" mis, 8?c." Dry den follows Ruaeus: 

Regard th' extremest cultivated coast. 

and Mr. B : 

Where'er the globe subdu'd by hinds we 
see. 

115. Pictos Gelonos7\ The Geloni 
were a people of Scythia, who 
painted their faces, like several other 
barbarous nations, to make them- 
selves appear more terrible in battle. 
Some have erroneously, contrary to 
all geographers, placed the Geloni 
in Thrace : and Ruaeus thinks that 
Virgil himself seems to make them 
Thracians, in the third Georgick, 
where he says, 



Acerque Gelonus, 



Cum fugit in Rhodopen, atque in deserta 
Getarum : 



because Rhodope is a mountain of 
Thrace, and the Getae border upon 
Scythia and Thrace. I believe the 
poet uses Rhodope for Thrace ; and 
the desarts of the Getae are confess- 
edly not in Thrace, the Danube 
flowing between them. Hence it is 
as reasonable to say that the poet 
makes the Geloni to be Getae as 
Thracians, nay that he makes them 
both Getae and Thracians, which is 
absurd. It seems more probable 
I have rendered it," says he, " ac- that when he speaks of their frying 

T 



And again behold 

The conquered world's farthest inhabit- 
ants : 

and Dr. Trapp : 

See the most distant regions, by the 

pow'r 
Of Roman arms subdu'd. 



P. VIRGILII MAROXIS 



m^^btlgl^: Divisee arboribus patrise : sola India nigrum 

India alone bears the black" t. -, ,. \ ' ., - . 

ebony: the Sabaeans only en- I'ert ebenum : sons est thurea virga babaeis. 

jov thebcu.ah of frankincense. 

why should i mention the Quid tibi odorato refer am sudantia hVno 118 

balsam, which sweats out of ^ D 

ft*!*** th e 00d e V e a r n green Balsamaque, et baccas semper frondentis acanthi? 

acanthus? . 



into Thrace,, and the desarts of the 
Getae, he should mean dying out of 
their own country ; whence it will 
follow that they were neither Getee 
nor Thracians, but Scythians. 

116. Divisce^] In the King's and 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts it is 
diverse?. 

Sola India nigrum fert ebenum.~\ 
Our poet has been accused of a mis- 
take in saying that only India pro- 
duces Ebony, since we are informed 
by good authors, not only that it is 
brought from Ethiopia, but also that 
the best grows in that country. 
Herodotus says expressly that 
Ebony grows in Ethiopia, and we 
find him quoted to this purpose by 
Pliny : " Unam e peculiaribus In- 
" diae Virgilius celebravit Ebenum, 
"" nusquam ali^bi nasci professus. 
tc Herodotus earn iEthiopiae intelligi 
" maluit, tributi vice regibus Per- 
" sidis e materie ejus centenas pba- 
" langas tertio quoque anno pensi- 
" tasse iEthiopas cum auro et ebore, 
" prodendo." Dioscorides mentions 
an Indian Ebony, but he says the 
best comes from Ethiopia : "Evivog 

xftKrir/i A AiQiOTrix-A. iff £s rig nut 

'Iv2ixa. Lucan is quoted for saying 
it is an Egyptian plant : 



confirmed by another passage in 
the same author ; where he ex- 
pressly says that the Ebony grows 
in Meroe ; 



Ebenus Mareotica vastos 



Non operit postes, seel stat pro robore 

viii 
Auxilium. 

But it has, not without reason, been 
supposed, that we ought to read 
Meroetica instead of Mareotica, 
which, will make the Ebony not an 
Egyptian, but an Ethiopian plant, 
even according to Lucan, for Meroe 
is in Ethiopia. This emendation h 



; Late tibi gurgite rupto 



Ambit ur nigris fierce foecunda c 

Laeta comis Ebeni : quae, quamvis ar- 

bore multa 
Frondeat, aestatem nulla sibi mitigat 

umbra. 

Thus we find a concurrent testimony 
of several authors, that the Ebony 
grows in Ethiopia, whereas Virgil 
asserts, that it grows only in India. 
Servius vindicates the poet by sav- 
ing, that Ethiopia was reckoned a 
part of India ; which opinion seems 
to be confirmed by a passage in the 
fourth Georgick, where the source 
of the Nile is said to be India; 
which must be understood to mean 
Ethiopia, for it is impossible to sup- 
pose the Nile to rise in India pro- 
perly so called : 

Et diversa mens septem discurrit in era 
Usque coloratis amnis devexus ab i 

However it is not improbable, that 
the poet might think that Ebony 
was peculiar to India, for we find 
that Theophrastus was of the 
opinion. This great author, speak- 
ing of the trees of India, says 
Ebony is peculiar to that country : 
'ioiov %i xai iZ-v/i rvs %oopu.<; returns. 

117. Solisest thurea virga Saba'is] 
See the note on moUes sua thura Sa- 
baii, book i. ver. 57- 

119. Balsamaque.] In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is Bahama, 
quid. If this reading, which seems 
very good, be admitted, the whole 
passage will stand thus : 

Quid tibi odorato referam sudantia li-no 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



139 



Quid nemora iEthiopum molli canentia lana ? KtfSf^Ln&pi^ 

lioary with soft wool ? 



Balsama ? quid baccas semper frondentis 

acanthi ? 
Quid nemora iEthiopum molli canentia 

lana ? 

In the Cambridge manuscript, it is 
Balsama, et baccas. 

According to Pliny the Balsam 
plant grows only in Judaea : but Jo- 
sephus tells us, that the Jews had a 
tradition, that it was first brought 
into their country by the Queen of 
Sheba, who presented it to Solomon: 

jLcyovrt o on rco&t niV rov o7ro<oc&Acroi[AOv 
p/^i»5il Y t V ITl VVV i)fAUV *i x<>jgoc <psgsj, %ov<ryi$ 

recvTK *W yvvxiKog s%of&iv. According 
to the best accounts of modern au- 
thors the true country of the Balsam 
plant is Arabia Felix. It is a shrub 
withunequallypennatedleaves. 
Balsam flows out of the branches, 
either naturally, or by making 
incisions in June, July, and August. 
It is said to be white at first, then 
green, and at last of a yellow colour, 
like that offioney. 

Baccas semper frondentis Acanthi.'] 
The Acanthus is mentioned several 
times by Virgil. In this place he 
^ speaks of it as a tree, that bears ber- 
ries, and is always green. In the 
fourth Georgick, he seems to speak 
of it as a twining plant : 

— — Flexi tacuissem vimen Acanthi. 

A little afterwards he mentions it as 
a garden plant : 

Ille comam mollis jam turn tondebat 
Acanthi. 

In the third Eclogue he describes 
two cups adorned with the figure 
of it: 

Et nobis idem Alcimedon duo pocula 

fecit ; 
Et molli circum est ansas amplexus 

Acantho. 

This verse is taken from the first 
I dy Ilium of Theocritus : 



iixavS-os. 

In the fourth Eclogue it is repre- 
sented as a beautiful plant : 

Mixtaque ruicntl Colocasia fundet Acan- 
tho. 

In the first iEneid he speaks of a 
garment wrought with yellow silk, 
in the form of Acanthus leaves : 

Et circumtextum croceo velamen Acan- 
tho. 

And 

Pictum croceo velamen Acantho. 

It seems scarce possible to find any 
one plant, with which all these cha- 
racters agree. Hence it has not 
been unreasonably supposed, that 
there are two sorts of Acanthus ; 
the one an Egyptian tree, of which 
the poet speaks in this place ; and 
the other an herb, to which the 
other passages allude. The tree is 
described by Theophrastus. He 
says it is called Acanthus, because 
it is all over prickly, except the 
trunk: for it has thorns upon the 
shoots and leaves. It is a large 
tree, and affords timber of twelve 
cubits. — - — The fruit grows in pods, 
after the manner of pulse, and is 
used by the inhabitants, instead of 
galls, in dressing leather. The 
flower is beautiful, and is used in 
garlands : it is also gathered by the 
physicians, being useful in medi- 
cine. A gum also flows from it, 
either spontaneously, or by incision. 
It shoots again the third year after 
it has been cut down. This tree 
grows in great plenty, and there is 
a large woo.d of them about The- 
bais : C H dl "AxxvS-os xoiautxi yAv die* 

70 UKCV&wilS ©AOV TO 2iVO£6V itVUl, TTXVV 

T6v WASftovg, fcsil yotQ hrt ruv fiXccfuv 
Koii fart iwv <PvAam ttfiit Miy&it ^ 

T 2 



uo 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



™*££££&32?£5 Velleraqueutfoliisdepecianttenuia Seres? 121 

trees? Or of. the groves of A . . T ,. , 

India, which lies nearest the Aut QUOS OCeailO DrODlOr gent India lUCOS, 

ocean, and is the farthest r 

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arrows csn soar 



tgej/ipos vM rzpvtreti. ^-'O $1 kx^ttos 

rcti 01 iyvcopioi 7rpog rot dipuatrx . eivrt 
Ktxidog. To o otvjog ko,i rq o\yu y.otXov. 
6>fi X.0tt fiQctVOVS TTOitTv g| otvrov. Koii 
<Pet.fyAotx.adis, Sib y.oct (rvXteyovnv ol target. 
Tjnreti dl Ik retvTYis t&etl rb xoupi, vxti 
fet, Kot) vrXityu'erqs, k&i ctvropotrov otnv 
a-fcotTiui;. ' Orstv $1 -JtoTj-J;, ptsroi r^trov 
troq ivB-vg civscQiQ\x<rr)Ki. IloXv Ti rb 
oivo^ov trt. x,xi dpyiM^ p!lyot$ crtpt rbv 
G/feciixcv vo/itov. The Acanthus of 
Theophrastus is certainly the Egyp- 
tian Acacia, from which we obtain 
that sort of gum, which is com- 
monly known by the name of Gum 
Arabic. There is only one thing, 
in which the Acacia differs from the 
Acanthus ; the trunk of it is prickly, 
as well as the other parts. But in 
this particular Theophrastus might 
have been misinformed : in other 
circumstances they agree sufficiently. 
The juice of the unripe pods is now 
used at Cairo, in dressing leather ; 
and Prosper Alpinus, who had ga- 
thered the gum from this tree v/ith 
his own hands, affirms that no other 
sort of tree bears any gum, either 
in Egypt or Arabia. But, though 
it be allowed that the Acacia is the 
Acanthus of Theophrastus. yet there 
remains a great difficulty to recon- 
cile what Virgil says of it in this 
place with the description of that 
tree. It is certain that the fruit of 
the Acacia, or Acanthus, is a pod, 
and bears no resemblance of a berry. 
Bodaeus a Stapel has proposed a 
solution of this difficulty. He ob- 
serves that the flowers grow in little 
balls, which Virgil might therefore 
poetically call berries ; though that 
word strictly belongs to small round 
fruits. Prosper Alpinus has given 
a particular description of them : 



" Flores parvos, pallidos, subflavos, 
" atque etiam albos, rotundos, par- 
" vos lanee floccos imitantes, platani 
" fructibus forma plane similes, his 
" tamen longe minores, et nihil 
te aliud flos hujusce arboris videtur, 
" quam mollis lanugo parvum ro- 
-" tundumque globulum efformans, 
" non ingrati odoris." But might 
not Virgil as well call the globules 
of gum berries ? Mr. B — seems to 
have been of this opinion : 



Where ever-green 



Acanthus rises with his gummy stem. 

We shall consider the other Acan- 
thus, in the note on ver. 123. of the 
fourth Georgick. 

1 20. Nemora Mthiopum molli ca- 
nentia I ana."] These forests, that are 
hoary with soft wool, are the cotton- 
trees. They grow usually to about 
fifteen feet in height; the cotton is 
a soft substance, growing within a 
greenish husk, and serving to de- 
fend the seeds. 

121. Velleraque utfoliis depectant 
ienuia Seres.] The Seres were a peo- 
ple of India, who furnished the other 
parts of the world with silk. The 
ancients were generally ignorant of 
the manner in which it was spun by 
the silk- worms ; and imagined that 
it was a sort of down, gathered from 
the leaves of trees. Thus Pliny : 
" Primi sunt hominum, qui noscan- 
'• tur, Seres, lanicio syl varum no- 
(< biles, perfusam aqua depectentes 
(% frondium caniciem." 

122. Propior.~) In the Cambridge, 
and in one of Dr. Mead's manu- 
scripts, and in the old Nuremberg 
edition, it is proprior. 

123. Aera vincere summum, &c] 
The vast height of the Indian trees 
is mentioned also by Pliny, lib. vii. 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



141 



Arboris hand ullae jactu potuere sagittae : 124 
Et gens ilia quidem sumptis non tarda pharetris. 
Media fert tristes succos, tard unique saporem 
Felicis mall, quo non praesentius ullum, 
Pocula si quando saevse infecere novercae, 
Miscueruntque herbas, et non innoxia verba, 
A ux ilium venit, acmembris agit atra venena. 1 30 



above the lofty summit* of 
their trees : and yet those peo- 
ple are no bad archers. Media 
bears bitter juices, and the 
slow taste of the happy apple, 
than which there is not a 
better remedy, to expel the 
venom, when cruel step-mo- 
thers have poisoned a cup, 
and mingled herbs, with baler 
ful charms. 



c. 2. (c Arbores quidem tantsepro- 
<c ceritatis traduntur, ut sagittis su- 
<( perari nequeant." 

126. Media fert tristes succos 1 , &c] 
The fruit here mentioned is cer- 
tainly the Citron. Dioscorides says 
expressly that the fruit which the 
Greeks call Medicum, is in Latin 
called Citrium : Tu. al Mv^ixoi Aeyd- 

ci Kirgiot, -zreiri yva^ipx. 

Tristis signifies bitter, as tristisque 
lupini. This must be understood 
either of the outer rind, which is 
very bitter ; or of the seeds, which 
are covered with a bitter skin. The 
juice of the pulp is acid. 

What sort of taste the poet means 
by tardum saporem, is not very easy 
to determine, nor are the commen- 
tators and translators well agreed 
about it. Servius seems to under- 
stand it to be a taste which does not 
presently discover itself. Philargy- 
rius interprets it a taste which dwells 
a long time upon the palate. La 
Cerda takes it to mean that persons 
are slow or unwilling to swallow it, 
on account of its acrimony. Ruaeus 
follows Philargyrius. May trans- 
lates this passage, 

Stow tasted apples Media doth produce, 
And bitter too ; but of a happy use. 

Dryden renders tristes succos, sharp 
tasted, and tardum saporem, bitter ; 
which he applies to the rind : 

Sharp-tasted citrons Median climes pro- 
duce, 
Bitter the rind, but gen'rous is the juice. 



Mr. B makes it a clammy taste : 

To Media's clime those happy fruits 

belong. 
Bitter of taste, and clammy to the tongue. 

Dr. Trapp translates tristis, pun- 
gent; and follows Philargyrius, with 
regard to tardum saporem : 

Media the happy citron bears, of juice 
Pungent, of taste that dwells upon the 
tongue. 

I take the epithet happy to be 
ascribed to this fruit on account of 
its great virtues. Some of the com- 
mentators think it is so called, be- 
cause the tree enjoys a continual suc- 
cession of fruits. 

127- Praesentius. ~\ Pierius says it 
is prcestantius, in the Lombard ma- 
nuscript : but he adds that praesen- 
tius is preferred by the learned. 

12,9. Miscueruntr\ It is miscue- 
rant in the Cambridge manuscript ; 
and miscuerint in one of Dr. Mead's, 
and in some old printed editions. 

130. Membris agit atra venena.~\ 
Athenseus relates a remarkable story 
of the use of Citrons against poison ; 
which he had from a friend of his, 
who was governor of Egypt. This 
governor had condemned two male- 
factors to death, by the bite of ser- 
pents. As they were led to execu- 
tion, a person taking compassion of 
them, gave them a citron to eat. 
The consequence of this was, that 
though they were exposed to the 
bite of the most venomous serpents, 
they received no injury. The go- 



U2 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



The tree is large, and very 
like a bay ; ana, if it did not 
spread abroad a different 
smell, it might be taken for a 
bay : the leaves are not shak- 
en off with any winds : the 
flower is very tenacious ; the 
Medes chew it for their un- 
savoury breaths, and cure 
with it their asthmatic old 
men. 



Ipsa ingens arbos, faciemque simillima lauro : 
Et si non alium late jactaret odorem, 
Laurus erat: folia hand ullis labentia ventis: 
Flos ad prima tenax : animas et olentia Medi 
Ora fovent illo, et senibus medicantur anhelis. 



vernor being surprised at this ex- 
traordinary event, enquired of the 
soldier who guarded them, what 
they had eat or drank that day, and 
being informed, that they had only 
eaten a Citron, he ordered that the 
next day one .of them should eat 
Citron, and the other not. He who 
had not tasted the Citron, died pre- 
sently after he was bitten : the other 
remained unhurt. 

131. Faciemque simillima Lauro.'] 
" This is a verbal translation of 
" Theophrastus : "Eyji ?e to %vfyov 
(i tovto (pvAAov ph 0U0109 y,x.\ o-yjhov itrov 
" t» Til? Aot^v>2j. But it must be ob- 
" served that in the common editions 
Ci we find dv^^x^v/jg, which is a cor- 
e( rupt reading for ^dtpvvig: which 
(i has led Theodorus Gaza into a 
" mistake, who translates it Fortu- 
" laca. Others finding this passage 
" corrupted, have taken pains to 
" correct it, by substituting olo^dyrdg 
" for d^^d'x, v ^- But I think I have 
cc restored the true reading ; for so 
iC Athenaeus, lib. iii. informs us that 
" it ought to be read. This au- 
' e thor, quoting this passage of The- 
(i ophrastus, uses licitpr.ig, instead of 
(i av^^ol^vr.g. As for the words 

" av^ftotftvtg, xci^vocgy which follow 

" 2#<pv>jj, I take them to be the gloss 
" of some idle commentator, for 
" they are not to be found in the 
fe oldest copies." FulviusUrsinus. 

Both Dr. Meads manuscripts 
hsLveJacieqUe. 

134. Flos ad prima tenax .] 
" Though some manuscripts have 
" apprime, I prefer ad prima, which 
" I find in the most ancient copies. 
" This reading seems to have been 



(C allowed also by Arusianus. And 
Cl in an old manuscript of Terence 
" we find, Meis me omnibus scio esse 
e< ad prima absequentem. 'Ett; to, 
c< TreooTct is no inelegant Greek figure." 
Pjerius. 

Servius reads apprima, which he 
says is put adverbially, like Et pede 
ten-am evebrsijerit. for crcbro. The 
King's, the Cambridge, and the 
Bodleian manuscripts have ad prima, 
which .is acknowledged also by 
Heinsius. 

134. Animas et olentia Medi ora 
fovent illoA Grimoaklus refers illo 
to the flower: but it is generally 
thought to refer to the fruit. The- 
ophrastus ascribes this virtue to the 
fruit: 'E«v y«£ ng iynrctg lv ra> fyfta n 

iV UXha) TiVi, TO itTioSiV TCJ LC'/iXoV tfC.7Tii<rYl 

tig to Toe:.!/, tuu Ksticigotprjcryi, sroiit t.vj 
orpw nhl'xv. Pliny says the Par- 
thians are subject to a stinking 
breath, on account of the variety of 
their food, and their hard drinking: 
and that their great men cure this 
disorder with the seeds of Citrons. 
" AnimsB leonis virus grave . . . Ho- 
" minis tantum natura infici voluit 
" pluribus modis, et ciborum ac den- 
" tium vitiis, sed maxime senio. Do- 
" lorem sentire non poterat, tactu 
" sensuque omni carebat ; sine qua 
" nihil sentitur. Eadem commea- 
" bat recens assidue, exitura su- 
" premo, et sola ex omnibus super - 
'-' iiitura. Denique haec trahebatur' 
" e caelo. Hujus quoque tamen re- 
" perta poena est, ut neque ad ip- 
ec sum quo viyitur, in vita juvaret. 
" Parthorum populis hoc prareipue, 
" et a juventa, propter indiscretos 
" cibos : nam que et vino intent ora 










@ 

M 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



143 



Sed neque Mcdorum sylvse, ditissima terra, 136 ^^^e^Z* 

•K-r -i * r>\ u* ] it tries, nor the beautiful Gan- 

Nec pulcner Changes, atque auro turbidus Jrier- ges , and Hermus thick with 

gold, may contend for praise 

IY[ u g with Italy : not Bactra, nor 

' India, 

Laudibus Italian certent: non Bactra, neque Indi, 



" nimio. Sed sibiproeeres meden- 
" tur grano Assyria mali, cujus est 
" suavitas prsecipua, in esculenta 
" addito." The same author, in 
another place, speaks of the Citron, 
as the most salutary of exotic fruits, 
and a remedy for poison. He there 
compares the leaves of it to the ar- 
bute : he says the fruit is not eaten, 
which we find also in Theophrastus, 
but it has an agreeable smell; as 
also the leaves, which preserve gar- 
ments from being eaten. The tree 
is laden with a continual suc- 
cession of fruits. Several nations 
have endeavoured to -transplant it 
into their own countries, but it will 
grow only in Media and Persia. 
The seeds are used by the Partis- 
ans, for the sake of their breath: 
and there is no other tree of note in 
Media. "In pragsentia extern as 
ic persequemur, a saiutari maxim e 
" orsi. Malus Assyria, quern alii 
" vocant .Medicam, venenis mede- 
" tur. Folium ejus est Unedonis, 
ec inter currentibus spinis. Pomum 
" ipsum alias non manditur : odore, 
Cc praecellit foliorum quoque qui 
" transit in vestes una conditus, 
" arcetque animalium noxia. Ar- 
" bor ipsa omnibus horis pomifera 
" est, aliis cadentibus, aliis matures- 
" centibus, aliis vero subnascenti- 
" bus. Tentavere gentes transferre 
" ad sese, propter remedii praestan- 
<( tiam, fictilibus in vasis, dato per 
" cavernas radicibus spiramento : 
" qualiter omnia transitura longius, 
" sen arctissime transferrique me- 
" minisse conveniet, ut semel quas- 
' ' que dicantur. Sed nisi apud Me- 
" dos et in Perside nasci noluit. 
" Hsec autem est cujus grana Par- 



" thorum proceres incoquere dixi- 
'* mus esculentis, commendandi ha- 
" litus gratia. Nee alia arbor lau- 
" datur in Medis." 

Palladius seems to have been the 
first, who cultivated the Citron, with 
any success, in Italy. He has a 
whole chapter on the subject of this 
tree. It seems, by his account, that 
the fruit was acrid : which confirms 
what Theophrastus and Pliny have 
said of it ; that it was not esculent : 
cc Feruntur acres medullas mutare 
" dulcibus, si per triduum aqua 
" mulsa semina ponenda maceren- 
" tur, vel ovillo lacte, quod praestat." 
It may have been meliorated by cul- 
ture, since his time. 

Lo6. Sed neque, &c.j| The poet 
having spoken of the most remark- 
able plants of foreign countries, 
takes occasion to make a beautiful 
digression in praise of Italy. 

137- Pulcker Ganges.^] The 
Ganges is a great river of India, di- 
viding it into two parts. It is men- 
tioned by Pliny, as one of the rivers, 
which afford gold. 

Auro turbidus Hermus.'] Hermus 
is a river of Lydia; it receives the 
Pactoius, famous for its golden 
sands. 

138. ~Bacira7\ This is the name 
of the capital city of a country of 
Asia, lying between Parthia on the 
west, and India on the east. Pliny 
says it is reported, that there is 
wheat in this country, of which 
each grain is as big as a whole ear of 
the Italian wheat : "■ Tradunt in 
" Bactris grana tantae magnitudinis 
" fieri, ut singula spicas nostras 
" sequent." 

Indir\ He puts the name of the 



144 



P. VHlGILII MARONIS 



nor all P*ichaia, whe«e rich 
sands abound with frankin- 
cense. This country has never 
been ploughed by'bulls, that 
breathe fire from their nos- 
trils, nor sown with the teeth 
of a cruel dragon: nor have 
the fields borne a horrid crop 
of men armed with helmets 
and spears, but it is filled 
with heavy corn, and the 
Massic liquor of Bacchus : 
and is possessed by olives, 
and joyful herds. 



Totaque thuriferis Panchaia pinguis arenis. 
Hasc loca non tauri spirantes naribus ignem 140 
Invertere, satis immanis dentibus hydri ; 
Nee galeis, densisque virum seges horruithastis: 
Sed gravidas fruges, et Bacchi Massicus humor 
Implevere ; tenent oleae, armentaque lasta. 



people, for the country. Mr. B — 
seems to imagine, that Virgil meant 
both the East and West Indies : 

No nor yet Bactria, not both Indies shores. 

Probably the poet may mean Ethi- 
opia in this place : for he has spoken 
already of India properly so called, 
in mentioning the Ganges. 

139- Thuriferis Panchaia pinguis 
are?iis.] Panchaia or Punchosa is a 
country of Arabia felix. See the 
note on ver. 57, of the first Geor- 
gick. The sands hearing frankin- 
cense may be variously interpreted. 
It may mean, that it is in such 
plenty, that it is not only gathered 
from the trees, but even found in 
plenty on the ground. Thus Gri- 
moaldus paraphrases it : " Neque 
tf Panchaia, pars Arabiae soli sub- 
i{ jecta et consecrata, ubi tanta thu- 
" ris affluentia est, ut non solum in 
<e arborum corticibus, sed in areis 
c< etiam legi queat." I believe areis 
is an error of the Press, and that it 
should be arenis. It may mean also, 
a soil producing frankincense, as 
Ruaeus interprets it: " Nee tota 
" Panchaia, dives solo turifero :" 
and Dr. Trapp : 

Nor Panchaia fat 

All o'er, with frankincense-producing 
glebe* 

Mr. B thinks it means, that the 

frankincense is in such plenty, that 
the country may be said to be 
dunged with it : 

Or all Panchaia's plains, manur'd with 
spicy stores. 



" The interpretation of the last of 
" these lines (says he) differs from 
" the commentators, but I think it 
" is Virgil's sense. He always rises 
" in his descriptions. After he has 
c< mentioned groves of citrons, and 
" golden sands, Persia and India, 
" what can be greater than to men- 
" tion a country dunged with spices, 
" and what more proper to bring 
" the digression home to his sub- 
" ject, and to connect it with what 
" follows ? But this passage de- 
" serves to be examined more nearly. 
" It is plain, the sense of it turns 
" upon this word pinguis. Now 
" there are too many places in the 
" Georgicks to be enumerated, 
" where pinguis terra, pinguis hu- 
" mus, or pingue solum, signifies 
"lands well manured; but where 
" it once implies dives by its pro- 
" duce, as Ruaeus and his followers 
" understand it, I have not been 
" able to discover." 

140. Hcec loca, &c.] He alludes 
to the story of Jason, who went to 
Colchis for the golden fleece ; where 
he conquered the bulls, which 
breathed forth fire from their nos- 
trils, and yoked them to a plough. 
He also slew a vast dragon, sowed 
his teeth in the ground, and de- 
stroyed the soldiers, which arose 
from the dragon's teeth, like a crop 
of corn from seed. 

143. Bacchi Massicus humor.'] 
Massicus is the name of a mountain 
of Campania, celebrated for wine. 

144. Olccc, armentaque.] It is ge- 
neral]}'' read elcccque, armentaque. 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



145 



Mine bellator cqmis campo sesc arduus infert : 
Hinc albi, Clitumne, greges, et maxima taurus 
Victima, saepe tuo perfusi fluminc sacro, 147 
Romanos ad templa deum duxere triumphos. 
Hie ver assiduum, atque alienis mensibus sestas : 



Hence the warlike horse with 
his lofty neck rushes into the 
field. Hence thy white flocks, 
Clitumnus, and the greatest of 
victims, the bull, having been 
often washed with thy sacred 
stream, have led the Roman 
triumphs to the temples of the 
gods. Here the spring is per- 
petual, and the summer shines 
in unusual months. 



But Pierius informs us, that in the 
Medicean and other ancient manu- 
scripts que is left out after olece, I 
find it so in the King's manuscript. 
Heinsius also, and Masvicius follow 
this reading. 

146. Hinc albi, Clitumne, greges, 
Sfc.] Clitumnus is a river of Italy, 
in which the victims were washed, 
to be rendered more pure; for 
none, but such as were white, were 
offered to Jupiter Capitol inns. 

In the King's manuscript it is 
tauri instead of taurus. 

149- Hie ver assiduum, atque alie- 
?iis mensibus cestas.] He describes 
the temperate air of Italy, by saying 
it enjoys a perpetual spring, and 
summer warmth in such months, as 
make winter in other countries. 
Mr. B — contends, that we ought 
to read messihus, for mensibus. " I 
" do not wonder (says he) if none 
" of the interpreters have been able 
" to make sense of this line : but if 
" we alter mensibus to messibus, it 
" seems very intelligible. Virgil 
<e had already enumerated in the 
" praises of his country, their corn, 
" their wine, their olives, and their 
" cattle, and what could be more 
" properly mentioned after them 
" than their foreign grasses f he 
" very poetically calls their verdure 
"perpetual spring, and their fre- 
ci quent harvests continued summer. 
" The Medica, which he takes such 
" particular notice of in the first 
" Georgick, is cut seven or eight 
" times a year in Italy. There is a 
" passage in Claudian, which may 
" give some light to this in Virgil : 
** Quod gelidi ruleant alieno sramine menses. 



Ci What Claudian calls alieno gra- 
" mine, Virgil expresses by aliena 
" messe. What the former describes 
" by menses qui rubent, the latter 
" paints in a finer manner by cestas. 
" That this passage relates to the 
"foreign grasses, can hardly be dis- 
" puted, for another reason, because 
" otherwise Virgil would have left 
" them out of his praises of Italy, 
" which would have been no incon- 
" siderable omission." In pursuance 
of this criticism, his translation of 
this passage is^ 

Here everlasting spring adorns the field, 
And foreign harvests constant summer 
yield. 

This is a bold alteration, and not 
warranted by the authority of any 
manuscript. Alienis mensibus sig- 
nifies in unusual months ; that is, in 
such months, as other countries do 
not feel warmth. Lucretius uses 
alienis partibus anni, or, as Fulvius 
Ursinus reads, alienis mensibus anni, 
in much the same sense. He is 
proving that something cannot be 
produced from nothing by this ar- 
gument : roses appear in the spring, 
corn in summer, and grapes in au- 
tumn. Now, says he, if these were 
produced from nothing, we should 
see them rise at uncertain times, and 
unusual parts, or months, of the 
year : 

Subito exorerentur 

Incerto spatio, atque alienis partibus anni. 

Trebellius, in the life of Gallienus, 
as he is quoted by LaCerda, speak- 
ing of fruits being brought to table, 
out of the common season, ex- 
presses it by alienis mensibus. " Fi» 



146 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



^■taSK^ShS- Bis g ravid * pecudes,bispomisutilisarbos. 150 
ll?no ve rZ-emng tyg^rs! nor At rabidae tigres absunt, et saeva leonum 

savage breed of lions ; nor do 

aconites deceive the unhappy Semina: nee miseros iallunt aconita leprentes: 

gatherers. O 



u cos virides, et poma ex arboribus 
<e recentia semper alienis mensibus 
te praebuit." The verse, which Mr. 
B — quotes from Claudian, rather 
confirms the old interpretation. He 
speaks of roses blooming- in winter, 
and the cold months glowing with 
unusual grass : 

■ Quod bruma rosas innoxia servet, 
Quod gelidi rubeant alieno gramine 
menses. 

That is, the roses blow, and the 
grass flourishes in winter, which is 
not the usual season. The same 
author, speaking of a star appear- 
ing at noon, calls it alienum tempus : 

Emicuitque plagis alieni temporis hospes 
Ignis. 

I do not understand Dryden's trans- 
lation of the line under considera- 
tion : 

And summer suns recede by slow de- 
grees. 

May has translated it better : 

And summers there in months unusual 
shine. 

Dr. Trapp's translation is not very 
different : 



And summer shines 



In months not her's. 

150. Bis gravida pecudes, bis po- 
mis utilis arbos.] Ke tells us the 
sheep are so fruitful in Italy, that 
they breed twice in a year. He 
seems to insinuate the same in his 
second Eclogue, where Corydon, 
speaking of his great riches in sheep 
and milk, says he has no want of 
new milk either in summer or win- 
ter; 



Quam dives pecoris nivei, quam laetis 
abundans. 

Mille meae Siculis errant in montibus 
agnae : 

Lac mihi non sestate novum, non frigore 
dent. 

What stores my dairies, arid my folds con- 
tain ; 

A thousand lamos that wander on tlie plain : 

New milk, that all the winter -never fails. 

And all the summer overflows the pails ? 
Drydejt. 

Homer speaks of the Lybian sheep 
breeding thrice in a year : 

Tgis yao rixru ftqXa rskstrQcpov us Iviauro*: 

which is impossible, if the sheep be 
of the same species with those of 
Europe; which go 150 days with 
young, according to Pliny; " Ge- 
" runt partum diebus cl." Mr. B— 
translates pecudes, kine : 

Twice ev'ry year the k'me are great with 
young. 

Varro mentions an apple-tree, 
which bears twice : ' ' Malus bifera, 
" ut in agro Consentino." 

151. Ralridcer\ In the Medicean, 
and other ancient manuscripts, it is 
rapidee, according to Pierius. 

152. Nee miseros fallunt aconita 
legentes.~] The Aconite or Wolfs- 
bane is a poisonous herb, which 
was found in Heraclea Fontica. 
We have several sorts in our gar- 
dens, one of which is very common, 
under the name of Monkshood. 
There are several cases of persons 
poisoned with eating this herb, one 
of which was communicated lately 
to the Royal Society, by Mr. Bacon. 
See Phil Transact. No. 432. p. 287- 
Servius affirms, that the Aconite 
grows in Italy, and observes, that 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



147 



Nee rapit immensos orbes per humiun, neque 

tanto 
Squameus in spiram tractu se colligit anguis. 
Adde tot egregias urbes, operumque laborem : 
Tot congesta mauu praeruptis oppida saxis ; 156 
Fluminaque antiquos subterlabentia muros. 
An mare, quod supra, memorem, quod que allnit 

infra ? 



Nor does the scaly serpent 
trail his immense folds along 
the ground, nor collect his 
length into so vast a spire. 
Add to this so many famous 
cities, and stupendous works: 
so many towns built on the 
rocky cliffs : and rivers slid- 
ing under ancient walls. Shall 
I mention the sea which 
washes it above, and that 
which washes it below ? 



the Poet does not deny it, but art- 
fully insinuates, that it is so well 
known to the inhabitants, that they 
are in no danger of being deceived 
by it. Dryden's translation seems 
to be according to this interpreta- 
tion : 

Nor pois'nous Aconite is here predue'd, 
Or grows unknown, or is, when known, 
refus'd. 

I do not find however that this 
poisonous plant is now found com- 
mon in Italy: or that it was deemed 
a plant of that country by the an- 
cients. 

153. Nee rapit immensos, &c] He 
does not deny that there are ser- 
pents in Italy, but he says they are 
riot so large or so terrible as those 
of other countries. 

155. Laborem.] In the King's 
manuscript it is labores. 

156. Congesta manu praruptis 
oppida saris.] This is generally 
understood to mean towns built 
on rocky cliffs, as I have trans- 
lated it. Thus Grimoaldus pa- 
raphrases : " Extant oppida non 
" pauca, hominum industriis, et 
" laborious, in promontoriis collo- 
" cata." Ruaeus also interprets it, 
" Oppida manu extructa in altis 
<( rupibus." Thus also Dryden 
translates it : 

Our forts on steepy hills : 

And Dr. Trapp : 



On tops 



Of craggy hills so many towns uprear'd. 

La Cerda takes it to mean towns, 
in which buildings are raised by 
human industry, like rocks and pre- 
cipices : ' ' Oppida in quibus aedifi- 
" cia instar prsecipitii et rupium ef- 
'• formata ab humana industria." 
May interprets it towns fortified 
with rocks : 



Towns, that are 



Fenced with rocks impregnable. 

Mr. B — gives it yet another sense : 

Add towns unnumber'd, that the land 

adorn, 
By toiling hands from rocky quarries 

torn. 

157- Fluminaque antiquos subterla- 
bentia murosJ] Some take this to 
mean, that the walls of these towns 
are so built as to give admittance to 
rivers, which flow through them. 
Others think the Poet speaks of the 
famous aqueducts. But the general 
opinion is, that he means the rivers 
which flow close by the walls. 
Thus when any action is performed 
close to the walls of a town, we 
say it is done under the walls. 

158. An mare, quod supra, memo- 
rem, quodque alluit infra ?] In one 
of Dr. Mead's manuscripts it is ab- 
luit. 

Italy is washed on the north side 
by the Adriatic sea, or Gulf of Ve- 
nice, which is called mare superum } 

u 2 



118 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



or the great lakes ? thee, O 
greatest Larius, and thee, 
Benacus, swelling with waves 
and roaring like a sea? Or 
shall I mention the havens, 
and the moles added to the 
Lucrine lake, 



D Anne lacus tantos ? te, Lari maxime, teque, 159 
Fluctibus et fremiti! assurgens Benace marino ? 
An memorem portus, Lucrinoque additaclaustra, 



or the upper sea ; and on the south 
side, by the Tyrrhene, or Tuscan 
sea, which is called mare inferum, or 
the lower sea. We have a like ex- 
pression in the eighth iEneid : 

Quin omnem Hesperiam penitus sua sub 

juga mittant; 
Et mare quod supra, teheant, quodque 

alhdt infra. 

159. -Lari maxime."] The Larius 
is a great lake, at the foot of the 
Alps, in the Milanese, now called 
Lago di Como. 

160. Benace.] The Benacus is 
another great lake, in the Veronese, 
now called Lago di Garda ,- out of 
which flows the Mir.cius, on the 
banks of which our Poet was born . 

161. Lucrinoque addita claustra, 
&c] Lucrinus and Avernus are two 
lakes of Campania ; the former of 
which was destroyed by an earth- 
quake ; but the latter is still re- 
maining, and now called Lago 
d'Avemo. Augustus Caesar made a 
haven of them, to which he gave 
the name of his predecessor Julius; 
as we are informed by Suetonius : 
" Portum Julium apud Baias, im- 
" misso in Lucrinum et Avernum 
" lacum marl, effecit." This great 
work seems to have been done 
about the time that Virgil began 
his Georgicks. We may gather the 
manner, in which these lakes were 
converted into a haven, from Stra- 
bo the geographer, who, as well 
us our Poet, lived at the time when 
it was done. He ascribes the work 
to Agrippa, and tells us, that the 
Lucrine bay was separated from the 
Tyrrhene sea by a mound, which 
was said to have been made by 



Hercules : but as the sea had broken 
through it in several places, Agrippa 
restored it : 'O t\ Aoxp7vo$ xoXn-og 
■zs-XciTvvtTa.1 ps^i Bcctav, %&)piccTi tigyo- 

ftlVOg U7T0 T?£ g|ft» &«AflSTTI!S OKTClTCllitU) 

to f/Jqxog, -zs-XciTog £j aftafyrov ■srXctTUotg, 
o <pairiv 'H.qcix.Xzoc, ^loc^ajTca, rag fiovg 
sXccvvovrec tag Tq^vovov ^i^ofiivov 5' \7r1- 

7T0Mg TO KVfAU. TOlg ftilfAWITiV, CO<?i fW STi- 

fyvsT-3-xi ycfiiioig, ' ' Ay^i7r7ra.g hci9iUVew&. 
Thus we find this great work con- 
sisted chiefly in forming moles, to 
secure the old bank, and leave no 
more communication with the sea, 
than was convenient to receive the 
ships into the harbour. Hence it 
appears that we are to understand 
these words of Pliny, mare Tyrrhe- 
num a Lucrino molibus seclusum not 
to mean, that the sea was entirely 
excluded, but only so far as to se- 
cure the bank. This is what the 
Poet means by the moles added to 
the Lucrine lake, and the sea raging 
with hideous roar. He calls the new 
haven the Julian water ; as we saw 
just now, in Suetonius, that Augus- 
tus gave it the name of the Julian 
port. It remains now, that we ex- 
plain what the Poet means by the 
Tuscan tide being let into the Aver- 
nian straits. We find in Strabo, 
that the lake Avernus lay near the 
Lucrine bay, but more within land : 
Tcc7; Pi Beitoiig trpnj&ts ri Aoy.^og x.oX- 
7rog. KX{ IvTog tovtov Aof>vo$. Hence 

it seems probable, that a cut was 
made between the two lakes, which 
the Poet calls the straits of Aver- 
nus, Philargyrius, in his note on 
this passage of Virgil, says a storm 
arose at the time when this work 
was performed, to which Virgil 
seems to allude, when he mentions 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



149 



Atque indignatum magnis stridoribus aequor, 
Julia qua ponto longe sonat unda refuso, 
Tyrrhenusque fretis immittitur aestus Avernis? 
Haec eadem argenti rivos, aerisque metalla 165 
Ostendit venis, ajque auro plurima fluxit. 
Hagc genus acre virum Marsos, pubemque Sabel- 

lam, 
Assuetumque malo Ligurem, Volscosque verutos 



and the sea raping with hide- 
ous roar, where the Julian wa- 
ter resounds, the sea being dri- 
ven far back, and the Tuscan 
tide is let into the Avernian 
straits ? The same country has 
disclosed veins of silver and 
copper, and has flowed with 
abundance of gold. The 
same has produced a warlike 
race of men, the Marsi, and 
the Sabellian youth, and the 
Ligurians inured to labour, 
and the Volscians armed 



the raging of the sea on this occa- 
sion : 

Indignatum magnis stridoribus 

aequor. 

165. Hcec eadem argenti rivos, 
&c] Pliny tells us in lib. iv. cap. 
20. that Italy abounds in all sorts 
of metals, but that the digging 
them up was forbid by a decree of 
the Senate : " Metallorum omnium 
'« fertilitate nullis cedit terris. Sed 
" interdictum id vetere consulto 
" patrum, Italiae parci jubentium." 
In lib. xxxiii. cap. 4. he mentions 
the Po amongst the rivers which 
afford gold. In the same chapter 
he confirms what he had said before 
of the decree of the senate : " Ita- 
" liae parcitum est vetere interdicto 
" patrum, ut diximus, alioquin 
<e nulla fcecundior metallorum quo- 
" que erat tellus." At the end of 
his work, where he speaks of the 
excellence of Italy, above all other 
countries, he mentions gold, silver, 
copper, and iron : " Metallis ami, 
" argenti, eeris, ferri, quamdiu li- 
" buit exercere, nullis cesshV' Vir- 
gil seems to allude to this ancient 
discovery of metals, by using ostendit 
nnd Jlujoit in the preterperfect tense, 

JEris metalla.] Ms is commonly 
translated Brass : but Copper is the 
native metal ; Brass being made of 
Copper melted with Lapis Calami- 
naris. In the Cambridge manu- 
script it is metalli, which is wrong : 



for the ancient Romans did not say 
<es metallum, but ceris metalla. We 
find auri metalla, argenti metalla, 
and ceris metalla in Pliny. 

166. Plurima.] See the note on 
this word, in ver. 187. of the first 
Georgick. 

167. Hcec] In one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts it is hoc, which must 
be an error of the transcriber. 

Marsos7\ The Marsi were a very 
valiant people of Italy, said to be 
descended from Marsus, the son of 
Circe. They inhabited that part 
of Italy, which lay about the Lacus 
Fucinus, now called La go Fucino, or 
Logo di Celano. It is now part of 
the kingdom of Naples. 

Pubem Sabellam.] The Sabelli 
were anciently called Ausones. They 
inhabited that part of Italy, which 
was called Samnium. 

168. Assuetumque malo Ligurem."] 
The Ligurians inhabited that part 
of Italy, which is now the Republic 
of Genoa. Some have thought that 
assuetum malo signifies accustomed 
to deceit, which was imputed as a 
national crime to the Ligurians, 
and is mentioned by Virgil himself, 
in the eleventh ^Eneid : 

Vane Ligur, frustraque animis elate su- 

perbis, 
Nequicquam patrias tentasti lubricus 

artes : 
Nee fraus te incolumem fallaci perferei 

Auno. 



150 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



MSttepJ&Su Extulit: h8ec Decios, Marios, magnosque Ca~ 

the Scipio's fierce in war : and -ii 

thee, O greatest Caesar, who miilOS, 

now being conqueror in the 

farthest parts of Asia, Scipiadas duros bello : et te, maxime Caesar, 

Qui nunc extremis Asise jam victor in oris 171 



On others practise thy Ligurian arts ; 
Thin stratagems, and tricks of little hearts 
Are lost on me. Nor shalt thou safe retire 
With vaunting lies to thy fallacious sire. 
Dryden. 

But it seems scarce probable, that 
Virgil would mention the vices of 
the people, in this place, where he 
is celebrating the praise of Italy. 
I have followed therefore the ge- 
neral opinion of the commentators 
and translators, in rendering ma- 
lum hardship or labour. 

Volscos.] The Volsci were a war- 
like people of Italy, of whom there 
is abundant mention in the JEneids. 

Verutos.] " Armatos verubus, that 
<e is, according to Nonius, armed 
tc with short and sharp darts. Lip- 
" sius reads, 

" Assuetumque malo Ligurem, Volscos- 
" que veruto : 

u and verutum and veru is the same : 
" but I prefer the common reading, 
tc verutos from veru, as scutatos from 
ge scutum ; cinctutos from ductus." 
Ru^us. 

The Veru is thought to differ 
from the Pilum in the form of its 
iron ; which was flat in the latter, 
but round in the former; as it is 
described in the seventh iEneid : 

Et tereti pugnant mucrone, veruque 
Sabello. 

And 'with round pointed Sabine jav'lins 

MM* 

Dr. Teapp. 

169' Decios .] The Decii were a 
famous Roman family, three of 
whom, the father, son, and grand- 
son devoted themselves at different 
times, for the safety of their coun- 



try : the first in the war with the 
Latins, being Consul together with 
Manlius Torquatus ; the second in 
the Tuscan war; and the third in 
the war with Pyrrhus. 

Marios.'] There were several 
Marii, whereof one was seven times 
Consul. Julius Caesar was related 
to this family by marriage : where- 
fore the Poet makes a compliment 
to Augustus by celebrating the 
Marian family. 

Camillas.'] Marcus Furius Ca- 
millus beat the Gauls out of Rome, 
after they had taken the city, and 
laid siege to the capitol. His son 
Lucius Furius Camillus also beat 
the Gauls. 

170. Scipiadas duros bello.] The 
elder Scipio delivered his country 
from the invasion of Hannibal, by 
transferring the war into Africa ; 
where he subdued the Carthagini- 
ans, imposed a tribute upon them, 
and took hostages. Hence he had 
the surname of Africanus, and the 
honour of a triumph. The younger 
Scipio triumphed for the conclu- 
sion of the third Punic war, by 
the total destruction of Carthage. 
Hence they were called the thun- 
derbolts of war : thus Virgil, in 
the sixth JEneid : 

Geminos, duo fulmina belli, 

Scipiadas, cladem Libyae. 

171. Extremis Asice jam victor in 
oris.'] This verse, as Ruaeus ob- 
serves, must have been added by 
Virgil, after he had finished the 
Georgicks : for it was about the 
time of his concluding this work, 
that Augustus went into Asia, and 
spent the winter near the Euphra- 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



151 



Imbellem avertis Romanis arcibus Indum. 



dost avert the disarmed In- 
dian from the Roman towers. 



tes, after he had vanquished An- 
thony and Cleopatra. 

172. Imbellem avertis Romanis ar- 
cibus Indum,'] Some think the 
Indians here mentioned are the 
Ethiopians, who came to the as- 
sistance of Cleopatra, and are called 
Indians in the eighth iEneid. 

■ Omiris eo terrore ^Egyptus, et 

Indiy 
Omnis Arabs, omnes rertebant terga 

Sabaei. 

TJie trembling Indians, and Egyptians 

yield ; 
And soft Sabceans quit the ivafry 

field. 

DRYDElf. 

Others think he alludes to the In- 
dians, who being moved by the 
great fame of the valour and mo- 
deration of Augustus sent ambas- 
sadors to him to desire his friend- 
ship j as we find in Suetonius : 
" Qua virtutis moderationisque 
<c fama, Indos etiam ac Scythas, 
" auditu modo cognitos, pellexit 
ee ad amicitiam suam populique 
fC Romani ultro per legatos peten- 
" dam." We find also in Florus, 
that after Augustus had subdued 
the people between the Euphrates 
and mount Taurus, those nations 
also who had not been subdued by 
arms, amongst whom he reckons 
the Indians, came to him of their 
own accord, bringing him presents, 
and desiring his friendship : Ci Om- 
iC nibus ad occasum, et meridiem 
" pacatis gentibus, ad septentrio- 
" nem quoque duntaxat intra Rhe- 
" num atque Danubium; item ad 
ec orientem intra Taurum et Eu- 
" phratem, illi quoque reliqui, qui 
<c immunes imperii erant, sentie- 
" bant tamen magnitudinem, et 
" victorem gentium Populum Ro- 
" manum reverebantur. Nam et 
" Scytliae misere legatos, ct Sar- 



" matae amicitiam petentes. Seres 
" etiam habitantesque sub ipso sole 
" Indi, cum gemmis et margaritis, 
" Elephantes quoque inter munera 
(i trahentes, nihil magis quam 
" longinquitatem viae imputabant, 
c< quam quadriennio impleverant : 
' ' et tamen ipse hominum color ab 
c e alio venire caelo fatebatur." These 
things happened in the year of 
Rome 724, about the time that Vir- 
gil finished his Georgicks, as he 
himself testifies at the end of the 
fourth book : 

Haec super arvorum cultu, pecorumque 

canebam, 
Et super arboribus : Caesar dum magnus 

ad altum 
Fulminat Euphratem bello, victorque 

volentes 
Per populos dat jura, viamque affectat 

olympo. 

From what has been said, we may 
observe that imbellem in this place is 
not to be rendered weak, effeminate, 
or unwarlike, as it is generally trans- 
lated : the meaning of the Poet be- 
ing, that they came in a peaceable 
manner to Augustus, being disarmed 
by the glory of his name, and the 
fame of his great exploits. 

The King's and the Cambridge 
manuscripts have artibus instead of 
arcibus. If this reading be admitted, 
we must render this passage, " dost 
" avert the disarmed Indian byRo- 
" man arts ;" that is, by power and 
government, which he has told us, 
in the sixth ^Eneid, are the proper 
arts of the Roman people : 

Excudent alii spirantia mollius a»ra, 
Credo equidem : vivos ducent de mar- 
more vultus ; 
Orabunt causas melius ; caelique meatus 
Describent radio, et surgentia sidera 

dicent : 
Tu regerc impcrio -populos, Romane, me- 
mento : 
lice UU er tint artes ; pacisque imponere 
morem, 



152 



P. VIRGILII MAI10NIS 



Hail, Satumian land, the g,reat 
parent of fruits, the great pa- 
rent of men ; for thee I enter 
upon subjects of ancient praise 
and art, and venture to open 
the sacred springs : and sing 
the Ascrasan verse through 
Hie Roman towns. Now is 
the time to speak of the na- 
ture of the fields ; what is 
the strength of each of them, 
what their colour, and what 
they are most disposed to pro- 
duce. In the first place stub- 
born lands, and unfruitful 
hills, 



Salve, magna parens frugum, Saturnia tellus, 
Magna virum : tibi res antiquae laudis et artis 
Ingredior, sanctos ausus recludere fontes: 175 
Ascrseumque cano Romana per oppida carmen. 
Nunc locus arvorumingeniis; quaerobora cuique, 
Quis color, et quae sit rebus natura ferendis. 
Difficiles primum terrae, collcsque maligni, 



Parcere subjectis, et debellare super- 
bos. 

Let others better mould the running^ 

mass 
Of metals, and inform tlxe breathing 

brass. 
And soften into flesh a marble face: 
Plead better at the bar ; describe the skies, 
And when the stars descend, and -when 

they rise : 
But Rome, 'tis thine alone with awful" 

sway, 
To rule mankind; and make the 

world obey ; 
Disposing peace, and war, thy own ma- 
jestic way. j 
To tame the proud, the fcttefd slave to 

free ; 
These are imperial arts, and worthy 

thee. 

Drydek. 

173. Salve, magna parens, &c] 
Pliny has concluded his Natural 
History much after the same man- 
ner : " Ergo in toto orbe et qua- 
c< cunque caeli convexitas vergit, 
" pulcherrima est omnium, rebus- 
" que merito principatucn obtinens, 
" Italia, rectrix parensque mundi 
cl altera, viris, feeminis, ducibus, 
" militibus, servitiis, artium prae- 
" stantia, ingeniorum claritatibus, 
" jam situ ac salubritate cseli atque 
(i temperie, accessu cunctaruni 
" gentium facili, littoribus portuo- 
" sis, benigno ventorum afflatu. 
* e Etenim contingit recurrentis po- 
" sitio in partem utilissimam, et 
fC inter ortus occasusque mediam, 
" aquarum copia, nemorum salu- 
c< britate, montium articulis, fero- 
" rum animalium innocentia, soli 
cc fertilitate, pabuli ubertate. Quic- 



" quid est quo carere vita non de- 
" beat, nusquam est preestantius : 
" fruges, vinum, olea, vellera, lina, 
" vestes, juvenci. Ne quos quidem 
" in trigariis praeferri ullos verna- 
" culis animadverto. Metallis auri, 
" argenti, aeris, ferri, quamdiu li- 
" buit exercere, nullis cessit. Et 
" iis nunc in se gravida pro omni 
" dote varios succos, et frugum 
" pomorumque sapores fundit." 

176. Ascrceum carmen. ~\ By As- 
craan verse he means, that he fol- 
lows Hesiod, who was of Ascra in 
Bceotia, and wrote of husbandry in 
Greek verse. 

177- Nunc locus, &c] Here the 
Poet speaks of the different soils, 
which are proper for olives, vines, 
pasture, and corn. 

178. Et.'] In one of the Arun- 
delian manuscripts, and several of 
the old printed editions, it is aut. 

Ferendis.'] In one of the Arun- 
delian manuscripts it is creandis. 

179. Difficiles primum terra.] The 
same soil does not agree with olives 
in all countries. Thus Pliny tells 
us, that a fat soil suits them in 
some places, and a gravelly soil in 
others : " Glareosum oleis solum 
" aptissimum in Venafrano, pin- 
e< guissimum in Bcetiea." The soil 
where Virgil lived is damp, being 
subject to the inundations of the 
Po, and therefore he recommends 
the hilly and stony lands for the 
culture of olives. We find in Pliny, 
that the country about Larissa for- 
merly abounded with olives, but 



F. 




:KL2Afi?TS 



©&IITIE Tl 




THE O TART T 



P*'l 




GEORG. LIB. II. 



153 



Tenuis ubi argilla, et dumosis calculus arvis, 
Palladia gaudent sylva vivacis olivae. 181 

Indicio est, tractu surgens oleaster eodem 
Plurimus, et strati baccis sylvestribus agri. 
At quae pinguis humus, dulcique uligine laeta, 



where the bushy fields abound 
with lean clay and pebbles, 
rejoice in a wood of long- 
lived Pal'adian olives. You 
may know this soil by wild 
olives rising thick, and the 
fields being strewed with wild 
berries. But the ground which 
u fat, and rich with sweet 
moisture, 



that the land being chilled by the 
overflowing of a lake they were 
all lost : " In Thessalia circa Laris- 
" sam emisso lacu frigidior facta ea 
*■* regio est, oleaque desierunt quae 
" prius fuerant." 

180. Tenuis ubi argilla.) May 
translates this, where clay is scarce : 
which is an error; for tenuis signi- 
fies lean or hungry. Argilla is not 
our common clay, but potter's clay, 
which Columella observes is as 
hungry as sand : (f Creta, qua 
" utuntwv figuli, quamque nonnulli 
" argillam vocant, inimicissitna est 
" [viti] j nee minus jejuna sabulo." 

181. Palladia.] Pallas or Minerva 
was said to be the discoverer of the 
olive-tree. See the note on ver. 
18. of the first Georgick. 

Vivacis.'] We have seen, in the 
note on ver. 3. of this Georgick, 
that the olive is a slow grower, 
and therefore he here calls it long- 
lived. 

182. Oleaster.] This is a wild 
sort of olive, which seems to be 
different from the cultivated sort, 
only by its wildness, as crabs from 
apples. That plant which is culti- 
vated in our gardens under the 
name of Oleaster, 13 not an olive: 
Tournefort refers it to his genus 
of Elaeagnus. It grows in Syria, 
Ethiopia, and Mount Lebanon 5 
Clusius observed it in great plenty 
also near Guadix, a city in the 
kingdom of Granada, as also in the 
south of France and Germany. It 
is thought to be the Cappadocian 
Jujubs, which are mentioned by 
Pliny, amongst the coronary flow- 



ers : " Zizipha, quae et Cappadocia 
" vocantur : his odoratus similis 
" olearum floribus." The flowers 
of the Elaiagnus are much like those 
of the olive ; but the ovary of the 
Elceagnus is placed below the petal, 
whereas that of the olive is con- 
tained within the petal. They are 
very sweet, and may be smelt at 
some distance. 

183. Plurimus.'] See the note on 
ver. 187. of the first Georgick. 

184. At quae pinguis humus, &c] 
Virgil here recommends a fat, 
moist, fruitful soil for vines, in 
which he is said to differ from the 
other writers of agriculture, who 
say that a very fruitful soil will ge- 
nerally make a bad vineyard. Cel- 
sus, as he is quoted by Columella, 
says the ground for a vineyard 
should be neither too loose nor too 
hard, but approaching to loose : 
neither poor nor very rich, but ap- 
proaching to rich : neither plain 
nor steep, but a little rising : nei- 
ther dry nor wet, but a little moist: 
" At si noto est eligendus vineis 
" locus, et status caeli sicut censet 
" verissime Celsus, optimum est 
" solum, nee densum nimis, nee 
'•' resolutum, soluto tamen propius: 
" nee exile, nee laetissimum, proxi- 
" mum tamen uberi : nee campes- 
" tre, nee prseceps, simile tamen 
" edito campo: nee siccum, nee 
" uliginosum, modice tamen rosi- 
t( dum." We have almost the same 
words in Palladiusj " Sed solum 
u vineis ponendis nee spissum sit 
" nimis, nee resolutum, propius 
" tamen resoluto : nee exile, nee 

x 



154 



P. YIRGILI1 MARONIS 



and the field which is full of 
grass, and abounding with 
fertility, such as we are often 
wont to look down upon in 
the valley of some hill, where 
rivers are melted down from 
the tops of the rods, and 
carry a rich ooze along with 
them: and suchas rises gently 
to the south, and nroduces 
brakes, detested by the 
crooked plough : such a soil 
will in time produce strong 
vines, abounding with juice : 
such a soil will be rich in 
clusters, and wine, to be 
poured forch to the gods in 
golden bowls, when the fat 
Tuscan has blown his pipe at 
the altars, 



Quique frequens herbis, et fertilis ubere cam- 
pus, 185 
Qualem ssepe cava montis convalle solemus 
Despicere : hue summis liquuntur rupibus amnes, 
Felicemque trahunt limum: quique editusaustro, 
Et filicem curvis invisam pascit aratris : 
Hie tibi prsevalidas olim multoque fluentes 190 
Sufficiet Baccho vites : hie fertilis uvae, 
Hie laticis, qualem pateris libamus et auro, 
Inflavit cum pinguis ebur Tyrrhenus ad aras, 



fC laetissimum, tamen laeto proxi- 
"raum: nee campestre, nee prse- 
" ceps, sed potius edito campo: nee 
" siccum, nee uliginosum, mod ice 
(t tamen rosidum." These authors 
differ very little from Virgil. He 
recommends a loose soil 5 rarissima 
quceque Lyceo ; they say it should be 
rather loose than hard : he recom- 
mends a rich soil; fertilis ubere cam- 
pus; they say it should be rather 
rich than poor: he reeommends a 
rising ground j editus austro; and 
so do they: he recommends a moist 
soil ; they say it should not be dry. 
Besides Columella quotes Tremel- 
lius and Higinius, who agree with 
our Poet, in recommending the foot 
of a hill, which receives the soil 
from above, and valleys, which have 
received their soil from the over- 
flowings of rivers: " Higinius qui- 
" dem secntusTremellium praecipue 
" montium ima, quae a verticibus 
te defluentem humum receperint, 
<c vel etiam valles, quae fluminum 
" alluvie, et inundationibus concre- 
" verint, aptas esse vineis asseverat, 
" me non dissentiente." 

I89. Filicem.] There are several 
sorts of Filex or Fern. I take that 
of which the Poet speaks to be our 
female Fern, or Brake, which covers 
most of the uncultivated, hilly 
grounds in Italy. 



Masvicius has silicem for filicem, 
whether by design, or by an error of 
the press, I am not sure. This 
reading however is not without 
some foundation; for Columella 
says flints are beneficial to vines: 
" Est autem, ut mea fert opinio, 
" vineis amicus etiam silex f cui su- 
e< perpositum est modicum terre- 
te num, quia frigidus, et tenax hu- 
" moris per ortum caniculae non 
" patitur sitire radices/' Palladius 
also uses almost the same words. 
And Mr. Miller observes that " the 
" land which abounds with Fern is 
" always very poor and unfit for 
" vines: but the flinty rocks which 
" abound in Chianti are always pre- 
" ferred, and the vines there pro- 
" duced are esteemed the best of 
" Italy." But I take filicem to be 
the true reading, because it is in all 
the manuscripts I have seen or 
heard of 5 and because Pliny has it, 
when he quotes of this very pas- 
sage: " Virgilius et quae filicem 
11 ferat non improbat vitibus." 

191. ntes.] In the King's ma- 
nuscript it is vires. 

192. Pateris libamus et auro.] It 
is agreed by the grammarians, that 
pateris et auro is the same with au- 
reis pateris. 

193. Pinguis Tyrrhenus.] The 
ancient Tuscans were famous for 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



155 



Lancibus et pandis fumantia reddimus exta. 
Sin armenta magis studium vitulosque tueri, 195 
Aut foetus ovium, aut urentes culta capellas : 
Saltus et saturi petito longinqua Tarenti, 
Et qualem infelix amisit Mantua campum. 



arid we offer the smoking 
entrails in bending chargers. 
But if your design is to breed 
kine with their calves, or 
lambs, or kids that burn the 
trees; seek the forests and dis- 
tant fields of fat Tarentum, 
and such as unhappy Mantua 
has lost, 



indulging their appetites, which 
made them generally fat ; thus Ca- 
tullus also calls them obesus Etrus- 
cus. Or perhaps he might allude 
to the bloated look of those, who 
piped at the altars, as we com- 
monly observe of our trumpeters. 

194. Pandis.] Some interpret this 
hollow, others bending, which seems 
the more poetical expression : thus 
Mr. B 

And massy chargers bending with then- 
loads. 

In one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts 
it is patulis, which word seems to 
have crept into the text from some 
marginal comment. 

195. Studium vitulosque.'] In one 
of Dr. Mead's manuscripts it is stu- 
dium est vitulosque. 

196. Urentes culta capellas.] We 
find in Varro that the ancient Ro- 
mans, when they let a farm, were 
accustomed to make an article, that 
the tenant should not breed kids, 
because they destroy the trees and 
bushes by browsing upon them : 
" Nee multo aliter tuendum hoc 
" pecus in pastu, atque ovillum, 
" quod tamen habet sua propria 
" quaedam, quod potius sylvestri- 
" bus saltibus delectantur, quam 
* e pratis. Studiose enim de agresti- 
" bus fruticibus pascuntur, atque 
" in locis cultis virgulta carpunt : 
** itaque a carpendo caprae nomi- 
" natae. Ob hoc in lege locationis 
" fundi excipi solet, ne colonus 
" capra natum in fundo pascat: ha- 
" rum enim dentes inimici satio- 
e< nis." This injurious biting of 



goats is also taken notice of by 
Mr. Evelyn : " Be sure to cut off 
' ' such tender branches to the quick, 
" which you find have been cropt 
" by goats or any other cattle, who 
" leave a drivel where they bite ; 
(< which not only infects the 
" branches, but sometimes endan- 
" gers the whole; the reason is, 
" for that the natural sap's recourse 
" to the stem communicates the ve- 
" nom to all the rest, as the whole 
f< mass and habit of animal blood 
"is by a gangreen, or venereal 
" taint." 

197. Tarenti.] Tarentum is a city 
of Magna Graecia, part of the king- 
dom of Naples, famous for fine 
wool, according to Pliny : " Lana 
'* autem laudatissima Apula, et quae 
" in Italia Graeci pecoris appella- 

" tur, alibi Italica. Circa Ta- 

" rentum Canusiumque summam 
" nobilitatem habent." 

198. Aut qualem infelix amisit 
Mantua campum.] " This line of 
" Mr. May's, 

" Such fields as hapless Mantua has lost, 

" has something very fine in it. 
" The metre is extremely grave 
" and solemn, as it is remarkably 
" so in the original. There the 
" verse complains, and every word 

" seems to sigh." Mr. B . 

Augustus Caesar had given the 
fields about Mantua and Cremona 
to his soldiers : and Virgil lost his 
farm with the rest of his neigh- 
bours; but he was afterwards re« 
stored to the possession of it, by 
the interest of his patron Maecenas ; 
x 2 



156 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



where snowy swans feed in 
the grassy river. Here nei- 
ther clear springs nor grass 
will be wanting for the flocks : 
and what the nerds devour in 
a long day, the cool dew will 
restore to you in a short night. 
That soil generally which is 
black, and fat under the pierc- 
ing share, 



Pascentem niveos herboso flumine cycnos. 
Non liquidi gregibus fontes, non gramina dee- 
runt : 200 
Et quantum longis carpent armenta diebus, 
Exigua tantum gelidus ros nocte reponet. 
Nigra fere, et presso pinguis sub vomere terra, 



which is the subject of the first 
eclogue. 

W9- Herboso flumine!] In one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts, and in se- 
veral of the old printed copies, it is 
herboso in flumine. 

200. Deerunt.'] So I read with 
Heinsius, and Masvicius. In the 
other editions it is desunt: but the 
other verbs in this sentence are in 
the future tense. 

201. Quantum longis, &c] What 
the Poet here says of the prodigious 
growth of the grass in a night's 
time seems incredible: and yet we 
are informed by Varro, that Caesar 
Vopiscus affirmed, that at Rosea, a 
vine-pole being stuck in the ground 
would be lost in the grass the next 
day : " Cassar Vopiscus ^Edilicius, 
st causam cum ageret apud Censo- 
" res, campos Rosese ltaliee dixit 
<( esse sumen, in quo relicta pertica 
" postridie non appareret propter 
" herbam " The same is related 
by Pliny, lib. xvii. cap. 4. 

203. Nigra fere.~\ Columella 
blames the ancient writers of hus- 
bandry, for insisting upon a black 
or grey colour, as a sign of a rich 
land : " Plurimos anti quorum, qui 
tf de rusticis rebus scripserunt, me- 
" moria repeto, quasi confessa, nee 
" dubia signa pinguis, ac frumen- 
" torum fer iis agri prodidisse, dul- 
" cedinem soli propriam herbarum 
" et arborum proventum, nigrum 
" colorem vel cinereum. De caete- 
" ris ambigo, de colore satis admi- 
" rari non possum cum alios, turn 



" Cornelium Celsum, non solum 
" agricolationis, sed universae na- 
" turae prudentem virum, sic et sen- 
" tentia, et visu deerrasse, ut oculls 
" ejus tot paludes, tot etiam campi 
" salinarum non occurrerent, qui- 
" hw. fere contribuuntur praedicti 
" colores. Nullum enim temere 
" videmus locum, qui modo pigrum 
" contineat humorem, non eundem 
" vel nigri, vel cinerei colons, nisi 
" forte in eo fallor ipse, quod non 
" putem aut in sololimosae paludis, 
" et uliginis amarae, aut in mariti- 
tf mis areis salinarum gigni posse 
" jacta frumenta : sed est manifes- 
" tior hie antiquorum error, quam 
" ut pluribus argumentis convin- 
" cendus sit : non ergo color, tan- 
<( quam certus autor, testis est boni- 
" tatis arvorum." Virgil seems to 
have been aware of this objection, 
and therefore cautiously puts in 
fere. Mr. Evelyn however seems 
to recommend a black earth, and 
such as is here mentioned by the 
Poet : " The best is black, fat, yet 
" porous, light, and sufficiently te- 
" nacious, without any mixture of 
" sand or gravel, rising in pretty 
(( gross clods at the first breaking 
u up of the plough ; but with little 
" labour and exposure falling to 
fe pieces, but not crumbling alto- 
" gether into dust, which is the 
" defect of a vicious sort. Of this 
" excellent blatk mould (fit almost 
" lor any thing without much ma- 
" nure) there are three kinds, which 
(i differ in hue and goodness." 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



157 



Et cui putre solum, naraque hoc imitamur 

arando, 
Optima frumentis : non ullo ex aequore cernes 
Plura domum tardis decedere plaustra juvencis: 
Aut unde iratus sylvam devexit arator, 207 
Et nemora evertit multos ignava per annos, 
Antiquasque domos avium cum stirpibus imis 



and that which is naturally 
loose, such as we imitate by 
ploughing, is fittest for corn : 
from no plain will you see the 
slow oxen draw more loaded 
waggons home: that also 
from which the angry plough- 
man has removed a wood, and 
felled the groves which have 
stood idle for many years, and 
subverted the ancient habita- 
tions of the birds from the 
very 



Presso pinguis sub vomere terra.] 
A rich land is universally allowed 
to be good for corn. Virgil here says 
the soil should be deep, so as to be 
fat, even below the share that 
makes a deep furrow; presso sub 
vomere. I take the epithet presso to 
allude to the custom of laying a 
weight on the head of the plough, 
to make the share enter deeper. 

204. Putre solum.} Putre signi- 
fies rotten, crumbling, or loose. The 
Poet explains it here himself, and 
tells us it is such a soil, as we pro- 
cure by ploughing. Thereforeinthis 
place lie recommends such a soil 
for corn as is in its own nature 
loose, and crumbling: because we 
endeavour to make other soils so 
by art. Agreeable to this Colu- 
mella tells us, that such a soil, as is 
naturally loose, requires little la- 
bour of ploughing : "Pastinationis 
" expertes sunt externarum gen- 
' ' tium agricolse : quae tamen ipsa 
" pene supervacua est iis locis, qui- 
" bus solum putre, et per se resolu- 
te turn est : namque hoc imitamur 
" arando, ut ait Virgilius, quod 
" etiam pastinando. Itaque Cam- 
" pania, quoniam vicinum ex nobis 
f< capere potest exemplum, non uti- 
" tur hac molitione terras, quia fa- 
" cilitas ejus soli minorem operam 
" desiderat." 

205. Non ullo.] In the Cambridge 
manuscript it is non nullo, which is 
manifestly an error of the tran- 
scriber. 



206. Decedere.~\ In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is descendere. 

207. Iratus.] This epithet seems 
to be added, to express the anger or 
impatience of the ploughman, who 
sees his land overgrown with wood, 
which otherwise might bear good 
crops of corn. 

Devexit.] It is dejecit, in the Me- 
dicean manuscript, according to 
Pierius. 

209. Antiquasque domos avium, 
&c] " I understand this place, 
(< says Mr. B — , in a manner diflfer- 
" ent from Ruaeus, and others, who 
" interpret stirpibus imis 3 the roots 
" of the trees. These are connected 
<e to domos avium, and consequently, 
te according to Virgil's clear way of 
" writing, must relate to the birds; 
" besides, if they related to the 
M roots of the trees, it would be an 
" useless tautology ; for, that the 
" roots were grubbed up, is said 
" before, nemora evertit. And again, 
u cum stirpibus imis is the best 
" expression possible to describe 
" where the birds' young ones were 
" lodged 5 for it is well (known, 
" that by getting down into the 
" bottoms of decayed trees, several 
" sorts of birds preserve their 
" brood. I translate altum, the 
" top of the tree, and not the air, 
" because, in fact, when hollow 
" old trees are felled, in which 
" birds have young ones, they al- 
" ways keep hovering about the 
"top, and making a lamentable 



158 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



£ nSS'fl/Sf/f'b^a! Eruit : illae altum nidis petiere reHctis : 210 



roots 
their 
soon as the share has been 



used, the rough field begins to At rudlS emtUlt lmpillSO VOHiere CamDUS. 
shew its beauty. 



" noise for several days together." 
According to this interpretation, he 
translates the passage thus : 

— Down with the sounding wood 

The birds' old mansions fell, and hidden 

brood ; 
They from their nests flew upwards to 

the head, 
Long hover'd round, and piteous outcry 

made. 

According to the common interpre- 
tation of stirpibus imis, Virgil is not 
made guilty of tautology : for ne- 
mora evertit does not necessarily 
signify grubbed up the groves, but 
may be interpreted felled the groves. 
Evertere is rendered to fell, in the 
first Georgick, by Mr. B — himself: 
Aut tempestivam sylvis evertere pinum ; 

which he thus translates; 

And timely on the mountain fell the 
fir. 

Therefore the Poet has not expressly 
said that the groves are grubbed up, 
till he mentions cum stirpibus imis. 
Altum, I believe, is never used for 
the top of a tree, especially after it 
has been felled. 

Manilius's description of the fell- 
ing of woods is not very unlike 
that of our Poet : 

■ Ruit ecce nemus, saltusque vetusti 
Procumbunt, solemque novum, nova si- 

dera cernunt. 
Pellitur omne loco volucrum genus, at- 

que ferarum, 
Antiquasque domos, et nota eubilia lin- 

quunt. 

211. At rudis enituit, &c] In the 
King's manuscript it is aut; and in 
one of Dr. Mead's it is et : but in 
the other manuscripts, and in most 
of the printed editions it is at. Mr. 
B — makes the period to end at 
relictis ; and takes the description 



of an unfit soil for corn to begin 
with this line, which he translates 
thus j 

But where the plough is urg'd on rubble 

ground. 
Nothing, but 'whitening furrows, will be 

found. 

" This, says he, is another of those 
f f passages which all the coramen- 
el tators have misunderstood, more 
" or less, for want of some know- 
" ledge of country affairs. Ruaeus, 
" according to his usual custom, 
u only abstracts Pontanus. Virgil 
" speaks here of three sorts of soil, 
" two of which are fit for corn, the 
ir other not. The first he describes 
" thus 5 a loose soil which looks 
" dark and fat, when turned up 
" with the plough. Nigra fere, 
" &c. The second is forest, or 
" coppice ground. Aut unde iratus 
" sylvam, &c. The third he de- 
" scribes in a very poetical manner, 
" by the different effect the plough 
ft has upon it. At rudis enituit, &c. 
iC The loose rich ground, first men- 
" tioned, looks dark, and fat, even 
« below the piercing of the share, 
« but the hard rubbly field, quite 
" contrary, is all white and shin- 
" ing, impulso vomere, because the 
" plough must be drove into it ; 
" such ground not being to be 
" ploughed, but by putting weight 
" upon the head of the beam." I 
believe Mr. B — mistakes in trans- 
lating rudis campus, rubble ground ; 
for rudis does not signify any par- 
ticular sort of soil, but only that 
which has not yet been cultivated. 
Thus Columella : " Sed nunc po- 
" tius uberioris soli meminerimus, 
tf cujus demonstranda est duplex 
" ratio, culti et sylvestris : de syl* 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



159 



For the hungry gravel of the 
hilly field will scarce afford 



Nam jejuna quidem clivosi glarea ruris 212 

_ T .- .. .. . • • , casia and rosemary for the 

Vix humiles apibus casias, roremque mimstrat : bee^ : 



" vestri region e in arvorum for- 
'• mam redigenda prius dicemus. — 
" Incultum igitur locum considere- 
" mus. — Sed jam expedienti rudis 
" agri rationem sequitur cultorum 
" novalium cura/' Here sylvestris, 
incultus, and rudis are used as sy- 
nonymous terms, to express a field 
that has never been ploughed for 
corn : as rudis, applied to a person, 
signifies one who has had no edu- 
cation ; whence erudire signifies to 
instruct, or educate, that is to take 
away rudeness, or roughness; and 
eruditus signifies a well educated, or 
learned person, whose mind is not 
uncultivated. Enituit, which Mr. 
B — takes to mean the whitening of 
the furrows, signifies to shine, or 
look beautiful. This verb, I think, 
is used but once more by our Poet, 
in all his works. It is in the fourth 
j^Eneid, where he describes iEneas 
going forth to hunt with Dido, and 
compares him to Apollo, for the 
splendor of his dress, and beauty of 
his person : 

— — — Ipse ante alios pulcherrimus omnes 
Infert se socium J5neas, atque agmina 

jungit. 
Qualis, ubihybernam Lyciam, Xanthique 

fluenta 
Deserit, ac Delum maternam invisit 

Apollo, 
Instauratque choros, mixtique altariacir> 

cum 
Cretesque Dryopesque fremunt, pictique 

Agathyrsi : 
Ipse jugis Cynthi graditur, mollique flu- 

entem 
Fronde premit crinem fingens, atque im- 

plicat auro : 
Tela sonant humeris. Haud illo segnior 

ibat 
jEneas, tantum egregio decus enitet ore. 
But far above the rest in beauty shines 
The great JEneas, when the troop he joins : 
Like fair Apollo, when he leaves the frost 
Qf wintry Xanthus t and the Lycian coast; 



Wlien to his native Delos he resorts, 
Ordains the dances, and renews the sports : 
Where painted Scythians, mix'd with Cre- 
tan bands, 
Before the joyful altars join their hands. 
Himself, on Cynthus walking, sees below 
The merry madness of tlie sacred show. 
Green wreaths of bays his length of liair 

inclose, 
A golden fillet binds his awful brows : 
His quiver sounds, Not less the Prince is 

seen 
In manly presence, or in lofty mien. 

Drydejt. 

Enituit therefore is used by the 
Poet to express, that when a wood 
has been grubbed up, the rude un- 
cultivated land, where it stood, 
appears in full beauty after it has 
been ploughed. 

212. Nam jejuna quidem, &c] 
Here he begins to speak of the 
hungry soil, which abounds with 
gravel, rotten stone, or chalk. 

213. Casias.'] The xetrU of the 
Greek writers is not the plant of 
which Virgil speaks in this place. 
Theophrastus, in the fourth chapter 
of the ninth book of his History of 
Plants, mentions it along with 
myrrh, frankincense, and cinnamon, 
and says they all come from Arabia: 
Tinreii f/Jv oi/v o XtQecvo?, tcctt it <rftvf>voc, 
xcci « Koto-ioc, kcci gV; to tuveifta/itov, h rvj 
tuv 'AgciQav %eo%ct, pk(rv\. In the fifth 
chapter he seems to describe it as a 
sort of cinnamon, or a plant not very 
unlike it : Uigt ^e Kivotftaftov kx) Kuatccs 
Txvrct Xzyovw Sc&pvcv? ph a^'ori^x, 
reevr uvoct ov f-ayocXovg, aXX nXtxovs 
oiyvov' 'zroXvKhoioovq dt nut %vXa$ug. 
Pliny has translated great part of 
what Theophrastus has said in this 
chapter, in the nineteenth chapter 
of his twelfth book. In the seventh 
chapter, Theophrastus mentions it 
amongst the spices, which are used 
to perfume ointments : T* 2i etxxot 



160 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



SS th e e Sk 3K? £S£ Et tophus scaber, et nigris exesa chelydris 

lowed by black snakes : 



vxvrx rx tuotrpx tig ■&£<><; tx agafixrx 
%£ejvrxt, rx ph l| 'iv^uv xofttfyrxt. xx- 
xuSiv Iki SxXxrrxv xxrx7nu,7rirxr rx 
cz e§ A^xvixg oiov zrfiog ra xivxf&ajtco, xxi 

tjj Kxtix. clq yAv ovv tig rx uoup.xrx 

X^vvrxt, c%z$ov rxh Wi Kxfix, xivxpa- 
pov, &c. The Casia, of which 
Theophrastus speaks in these places, 
is an aromatic bark, not much un- 
like cinnamon, and may therefore 
not improbably be that which we 
call Cassia lignea. It is of this 
bark, which Virgil speaks in ver. 
466. of this Georgick : 

Nee Casia liquidi corrumpitur usus olivi. 

Columella speaks of it amongst 
other exotics which had lately been 
introduced into the Roman gardens; 
" Mysiam Lybiamque largis aiunt 
" abundare frumentis, nee tamen 
' ' Appulos, Campanosque agros opi- 
fc mis defici segetibus. Tmolon et 
" Corycion florere croco. Judaeam 
" et Arabiam pretiosis odoribus il- 
" lustrem haberi, sed nee nostram 
" civitatem praedictis egere stirpi- 
" bus, quippe cum pluribus locis 
te urbis, jam Casiam frondentem 
" conspicimus, jam thuream plan- 
<c tam, florentesque hortos myrrha 
" et croco/' Therefore it could 
not be so common, if at all known, 
in Italy, in Virgil's time, as he 
seems to make it in all the passages, 
where he mentions it, except that 
just now quoted. In the second 
Eclogue Alexis the shepherd makes 
a nosegay of Casia, with lilies, 
violets, poppies, daffodils, dill, hya- 
cinths, and marigolds, which are 
all common herbs or flowers ; and 
it is there expressly mentioned as a 
sweet herb : 

Tibi lilia plenis 

Ecce ferunt nymphae calathis : tibi Can- 
dida Na'is 



Pallentes violas et summa papavera car- 
pens, 

Narcissura et florem jungit bene olentis 
anethi. 

Turn Casia, atque aliis intexens suavibus 
heriis, 

Mollia luteola pingit vaccinia caltha. 

In the fourth Georgick, it is men- 
tioned with wild thyme and savory, 
both common plants: 

Haec circum Casus virides, et olentia 
m late 

Serpylla, et graviter spirantis copia thym- 

brae 
Floreat : 

and afterwards it is mentioned aloDg 
with thyme : 



Ramea costis 



Subjiciunt fragmenta, thymum, Casicu- 
que recentes. 

In the passage now under our con- 
sideration, it seems to be men- 
tioned as a vulgar herb. For other- 
wise the Poet, speaking of a hungry 
gravelly soil, would hardly have 
said, that it was so far from being 
fit for corn, that it can hardly afford 
a little Casia for the bees. Had he 
meant the aromatic Casia, he would 
never have let slip such an oppor- 
tunity of telling us the advantages 
of such a soil : that though indeed 
it was not fit for corn, yet it might 
glory in producing the sweet Casia 
of Arabia, and perfuming the air of 
Italy with Panchaean odours. The 
Casia therefore here spoken of must 
be some common well known herb. 
Nor is it at all to be wondered at, 
that the Poet should speak of two 
different things under the same 
name. We have seen already, that 
there are both trees and herbs called 
lotus and acanthus. The Romans 
frequently made use of Greek 
names, to express different plants, 
which were common in their own 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



161 



Greta: negant alios seque serpentibus agros 215 n 



sweet food, or such 



country, and afterwards confounded 
the descriptions of both together. 
It may not be amiss also to observe 
that we have a spice, and also a 
common flower, both which we 
call cloves; and that we have a 
common herb in our gardens, which 
we call balm of Gilead; though 
very different from the tree, which 
affords that precious balsam. It 
has been supposed by some that 
our Lavender is the Casia, which 
Virgil means in this place : but on 
diligently comparing Theophrastus, 
Pliny, and Dioscorides, it will ap- 
pear to be a very different plant. 
Pliny tells us, that the coronary 
Casia is the same with what the 
Greeks call Cneoron : " Sunt et 
u alia genera nominibus Graecis in- 
" dicanda, quia nostris majore ex 
" parte hujus nomenclaturse defuit 
" cura. Et pleraque eorum in ex- 
" teris terris nascuntur, nobis tamen 
*' consectnnda, quoniam de natura 
" sermo, non de Italia est : Ergo 
" in coronamentafo'io veneremelo- 
<r thron, spireon, trigonon, cneoron, 
« quod casiam Hyginus vocat." This 
therefore is the casia, which he men- 
tions alittle afterwards, in the twelfth 
chapter of the ninth book, as good 
for bees ; " Verum hortis corjna- 
" mentisquemaxime alvearia et apes 
" conveniunt, res praecipui quaestus 
" compendiique cum favit. Harum 
'* ergocausaoportet serere thymum, 
te apiastrum, rosam, violas, lilium, 
" cytisum, fabam, ervilium, cuni- 
" lam, papaver, conyzam, casiam, 
" melilotum, melissophyllum, ce- 
" rinthen." In the twenty-first 
chapter of the thirteenth book he 
tells us, that the Thymelcea, which 
bears the granum Gniclium, is called 
also cneoron; and describes it to 
have leaves like the wild olive, but 



narrower, and of a gummy taste : 
(t Et in quo nascitur granum Gni- 
" dium, quod aliqui linum vocant ; 
" fruticem vero ihymelceam, alii cha- 
" melaeam, alii pyros achnen, alii 
" cnestron, alii cneoron. Est similis 
" oleastro,foliis angustioribus,gum- 
" mosis,si mordeantur, myrti mag- 
" nltudine, semine, colore, et specie 
" farris,ad medicinaetantum usum." 
Dioscorides, in his chapter about 
Thymelcea, tells us expressly that 
the leaves of that plant, which, he 
says also, bears granum gnidium, are 
peculiarly called cneoron : 'Ek reevmg 
o Kvionog x.cx,K<i<; xu(>7ros M crvXhiyirxi. 

TU, 21 <pvAA« cl7rq> \2iag KctXiiTetk 

Kviu^ov, crvXhiytiv $i7 mpi tov zrv^ctpn-' 
rov' Kxi eC7Tori&£<r6oCi %/igoivoiVTocs it <rx.iZ. 
Theophrastus makes no mention at 
all of thymelcea, and seems not to 
have known the plant which affords 
the granum gnidium. But in the se- 
cond chapter of his sixth book he 
mentions two sorts of cneoron, black 
and white -, the white one, he says, 
has leaves something like an olive ; 
which agrees with what Pliny has 
said of the thymelcea. The r efore it 
is scarce to be doubted, that the 
white cneoron of Theophrastus is the 
same plant with the thymelcea of 
Pliny and Dioscorides, and conse- 
quently the cneoron, which, accord- 
ing to Pliny, was called casia: and 
hence we may conclude that the 
herb Casia of Virgil is the cneoron, 
or thymelcea, which bears the granum 
gnidium. The plant from which we 
have the grana gnidia, or cnidia, is 
the Thymelcea lini folii C. B. and is 
called by Gerard spurge Jlax, or 
mountain widow-waile ; and grows in 
rough mountains, and uncultivated 
places, in the warmer climates ; ano^ 
may therefore very well be taken; 
for Virgil's Casia. The Germans 
Y 



162 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



crooked dens to serpents. 
That land, which sends forth 
thin mists and flying vapours, 
and drinks in the moisture, 
and returns it at pleasure, 
which always clothes itself 
with green grass, and does 
not stain the share with scurf 
and salt rust, will twist the 
joyful vines about their elms : 
that land abounds with oil: 
that land you will find by 
experience to be good for 
cattle, and obedient to the 
crooked share. Such a soil 
is ploughed about rich Ca- 
pua, and the country which 
lies near mount Vesuvius, 



Dulcem ferre cibum, et curvas praebere latebras, 
Quaetenuemexhalatnebulam,fumosquevolucres, 
Et bibit humorem, et, cum vult, ex se ipsa re- 

mittit, 
Quaeque suo viridi semper se gramine vestit, 
Nee scabie et salsa laedit rubigine ferrum : 220 
Ilia tibi laetis intexet vitibus ulmos : 
Ilia ferax oleo est : illam experiere colendo, 
Et facilem pecori, et patientem vomeris unci. 
Talem dives arat Capua, et vicina Vesevo 



have their grana cnidia from the 
Mezereon, which is a species of Thy- 
meloea. I have not seen the Thy- 
melaea in any of our gardens. 

Rorem.] Dryden takes rorem to 
mean dew : 

The coarse lean gravel, on the mountain 
sides, 

Scarce dewy beverage for the bees pro- 
vides. 

But it is more probable that Virgil 
means the Rosemary, or Ros mari- 
nus, so called, because it was used 
in sprinkling, as we read in the 
Scriptures of hyssop, and grew in 
places near the sea coast. The prose 
authors generally write the name 
of this plant in one word, rosmari- 
nus, or rosmarinum : but the poets 
Commonly divide it. Thus Horace : 

Te nihil attinet 

Tentare multa caede bidentium 
. Parvos coronantem marino 

Rore deos, fragilique myrto : 

and Ovid, who calls it ros maris : 

— — Cultus quoque quantus in illis 
Esse potest membris, ut sit coma pectine 

laevis : 
Ut modo rore maris, modo se violave ro- 

save 
Implicet. 

214. Tophus scaber.] I take this 
to be what we call rotten stone. 
Pliny says it is of a crumbling na-< 



ture : " Nam tophus scaber natura 
" friabilis expetitur quoque ab au- 
" toribus." 

21 6. Latebras.~\ In the King's 
manuscript it is tenebras. 

217- Qua? tenuem exhalat nebulam, 
&c] The soil, which the Poet here 
describes in the last place, we are 
told is fit for all the beforementioned 
purposes : for vines, olives, cattle, 
and corn. 

21 S. Et bibit) In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is quce bibit. 

2i#. Quceque suo viridi, &c.} 
Pierius observes, that in the most 
ancient Roman manuscript this verse 
runs thus : 

Quaeque suo semper viridi se gramine 

vestit. 

220. Nee.] In one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts it is hcec, which must 
be an error of the transcriber. 

221. Ilia tibi lcetis.~\ In one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts it is Ilia tibi 
in laztis. 

222. Oleo.~\ So I read it with 
Heinsius : and so Pierius found it 
in the most ancient Roman manu- 
script, and in the Medicean, and 
another very ancient one. The 
common reading is olece. 

224. Capua."] The capital city 
of Campania. 

Vesevo."] " Servius is mistaken. 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



163 



Ora jugo, et vacuis Clanius non a^quus Acerris. 
Nunc, quo quamque modo possis cognoscere, 

dicam. 
Rara sit, an supra morem si densa requiras, 
Altera frumentis quoniam favet, altera Baccho, 
Densa magis Cereri, rarissima quaeque Lyaeo, 
Ante locum capies oculis, alteque jubebis 230 
In solido puteurn demitti, omnemque repones 
Rursus humum, etpedibus summas aequabis are- 



and on the banks of the Cla- 
nius, which does not spare de- 
populated Acerrae. Now will 
I tell by what means you may 
distinguish each sort cf soil. 
If yon desire to know whether 
it is loose or hard, because one 
is good for corn, the other for 
vines, the hard to be chosen 
by Ceres and the most loose 
by Bacchus ; first choose out a 
place, and then order a pit 
to be digged where the ground 
is solid, then throw in all the 
earth again, and tread it well 
down. 



nas. 



■' when he affirms, that Vesevus is a 
w mountain of Liguria, under the 
" Alps : for that is called Vesulus, 
" and is mentioned by Virgil in an- 
" other place : Vesulus quern pinifer 
ff affert. But the Vesevus, of which 
" Virgil speaks in this place, is a 
" mountain of Campania, called also 
" Vesuvius and Vesvius." Pierius. 

225. Ora.] Aulus Gellius tells 
us, that he had met with an ac- 
count, that Virgil wrote at first vi- 
dua Vesevo Nola jugo, but that 
being afterwards not permitted, by 
the people of that city, to bring 
down some water to his neighbour- 
ing farm, he altered Nola to ora. 
Aulus Gellius seems to give no great 
credit to this old story. 

Vacuis Clanius non cequus Acerris.] 
Acerraz is the name of a very an- 
cient city of Campania, which was 
almost depopulated by the frequent 
inundations of the river Clanius. 

226. Nunc, quo quamque modo, 
&c] The Poet having, in the pre- 
ceding paragraph, informed us of 
the benefits and disadvantages of 
the several sorts of soil, he now 
proceeds to instruct us how we 
may be able to distinguish each of 
them. 

227. Rara densa.~\ Mr. 

B translates these words light 



and heavy: but of these the Poet 
speaks afterwards. Julius Graeci- 
nus, as I find him quoted by Colu- 
mella, sufficiently explains what is 
the true meaning of them. Densa 
signifies such a soil, as will not ea- 
sily admit the rain, is easily cracked, 
and apt to gape, and so let in the 
sun to the roots of the vines, and 
in a manner to strangle the young 
plants. This therefore must be a 
hard or stiff soil. Rara, says he, 
lets the showers quite through, and 
is apt to be dried up with the sun. 
Therefore this must be a loose soil. 
" Perdensam humum caelestes aquas 
" non sorbere, nee facile perflari, 
" facillime perrumpi, et praebere 
" rimas, quibus sol ad radices stir- 
" pium penetret : eademque velut 
" conclausa, et coarctata semina 
" comprimere, atque strangulare. 
(< Raram supra modum velut per 
iC infundibulum transmittere im- 
" bres, et sole ac vento penitus sic- 
" cari, atque exarescere." 

2 HO. Jubebis.'] Pierius says it is 
videbis in the Medicean manuscript. 
I find the same reading in the old 
Nurenberg edition. 

231. In solido] The Poet says 
you should dig in a solid place ; for 
if it was hollow, the experiment 
would be to no purpose. 
Y2 



164 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



If it does not fill the pit, the 
soil is loose, and will abun- 
dantly supply the cattle, and 
fruitful vines. But if it re- 
fuses to go into its place 
again, and rises above the pit 
that has been filled up,the soil 
is thick : then expect sluggish 
clods and stiff ridges, and 
plough up the earth with 
strong bullocks. But the salt 
earth, and that which is ac- 
counted bitter, which is unfit 
for corn, and is not meliorated 
by ploughing, and does not 
preserve the sort of grape, nor 
the true names of apples, may 
be known by the following ex- 
periment. Take close-woven 
baskets and the strainers 
of the wine-presses from the 
smoking roofs . Throw some 
of this bad soil into them, 
withsweetspringwater, tread 
them well together; and all 
the water will strain out, and 
large drops will pass through 
the twigs. Then the taste 
will plainly discover itself, 
and the bitterness will distort 
the countenances of those 
who take it. 



Si deerunt, rarum, pecorique et vitibus almis 
Aptius uber erit. Sin in sua posse negabunt 
Ire loca, et scrobibus superabit terra repletis, 
Spissus ager: glebas cunctantes, crassaque terga 
Expecta, et validis terram proscinde juvencis. 
Salsa autem tellus, et quae perhibetur amara, 
Frugibus infelix : ea nee mansueseit arando,239 
Nee Baccho genus, aut pomis sua nomina servat: 
Tale dabit specimen : tu spisso vimine qualos,. 
Colaque praelorum fumosis deripe tectis. 
Hue ager ille malus, dulcesque a fontibus undae. 
Ad plenum calcentur : aqua eluctabitur omnis 
Scilicet, et grandes ibunt per vimina guttae.245 
At sapor indicium faciet manifestus, et ora 
Tristia tentantum sensu torquebit amaror. 



233. Dcerunt.~\ It is deerint in 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts, and 
deerit in the old Nurenberg edition: 
but deerunt is the most received 
reading, as Pierius found it in the 
Medicean and other ancient manu- 
scripts, and as I have found it in all 
the manuscripts which I have col- 
lated. 

237. Validis terrain proscinde ju- 
vencis.'] He mentions the strength 
of the bullocks, to signify that this 
soil must be ploughed deep. Thus 
we have in the first Georgick, fortes 
invertant tauri, in the same sense. 

241. Tu spisso vimine qualos. .] In 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts it is 
turn spisso, &c. Pierius says it is 
spissos vimine qualos, in the Lom- 
bard manuscript; but he prefers 
spisso vimine, as it is in the Medi- 
cean, and other copies. 

246. At.~\ In one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts it is sat. 

c Z¥l. Sensu torquebit amaro\\ 
In one of the Arundelian manu- 
scripts it is sensimi torquebit amaror, 



where sensum seems to be an error 
of the transcriber for sensu. 

" Amaror is the style of Lucre- 
ec tius, and the true reading ; though 
" many read amaro, making it agree 
" with sensu'' Servius. 

" Though Servius, and some 
" others affirm amaror to be the 
" true reading,, and taken from 
" Lucretius, 

" Cum tuimur misceri absinthia % tangit 
" amaror : 

" and though Aulus Gellius has 
" collected the testimonies of some 
(C very ancient manuscripts, to sup- 
" port this reading ; yet amaro is 
K not amiss, as we find it in the 
" most ancient Roman manuscript. 
<e For sapor may be the nominative 
" case both to faciet and torquebit. 
"In the Lombard and Medicean 
" manuscripts it was written amaro, 
" but r has been added with an- 
" other hand and ink." Pierius. 

The passage of Aulus Gellius to 
which Pierius alludes, is the twenty- 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



165 



Pinguis item quae sit tcllus, hoc denique pacto 
Discimus; haud unquam manibus jactata fa- 

tiscit, 249 

Sed picis in morera ad digitos lentescit habendo. 
Humida majores herbas alit, ipsaque justo 
Laetior: ah nimium ne sit mihi fertilis ilia, 
Neu se praevalidam primis ostendat aristis ! 
Quae gravis est, ipso tacitam se porulere prodit: 
Quaeque levis. Promptum est oculis prae- 

discere nigram, 255 



The fat soil also may be 
known by this means ; it 
never crumbles, when it is 
squeezed by the hand, but 
sticks to the fingers like pitch. 
The moist soil produces rank 
gra=s, and is itself too luxuri- 
ant : oh ! let not mine be too 
fruitful, lest it shew itself too 
strong witli earl y com . The 
heavy and the light soil dis- 
cover themselves evidently 
bv their weight. It is easy 
to distinguish the black by 
the sight ; 



first chapter of the first book, where 
he tells us, that Hyginus affirmed it 
"was amaror in the very book, which 
belonged to the house and family of 
Virgil himself: and that learned 
critic is of opinion that the sense is 
better so, than if we read amaro 
with Pierius: " Versus istos ex 
" Georgicis Virgilii plerique omnes 
w sic legunt : 

" At sapor indicium faciei manifestos: et ora 
*' Tristia tentantom sensu iorquebit amaro. 

w Hyginus autem non hercle ignobi- 
" lis grammaticus, in commentariis, 
" quae in Virgilium fecit, confirmat 
u et perseverat non hoc a Virgilio 
<c relictum : sed quod ipse invenerit 
" in libro, qui fuerat ex domo atque 
fi familia Virgilii, 



et ora 



" Tristia tentantom sensu torquclit amaror. 

neque id soli Hygino, sed doctis 
quibusdam etiam viris complaci- 
tum. Quoniam videtur absurde 
dici : sapor sensu amaro torquet : 
quura ipse, inquiunt, sapor sen- 
sus sit, non alium in semetipso 
sensum habeat : ac inde sit quasi 
dicatur, sensus sensu amaro tor- 
quet. Sed enim quum Favorinus 
Hygini commentarium legisset: 
atque ei statim displicita esset in- 
solentia et insuavitas illius, sensu 



iorquebit amaro : risit, et, Jovem 
lapidem, inquit, quod sanctissi- 
mum jusjurandum est habitum, 
paratus sum ego jurare Virgilium 
hoe nunquam scripsisse. Sed 
Hyginum ego dicere verum arbi- 
tror. Non enim primus finxit 
hoc verbum Virgilius insolenter : 
sed in carminibus Lucretii inven- 
tum est: nee est aspernatus au- 
toritatem poeta* ingenio et facun- 
dia prsecellentis. Verba ex quarto 
Lucretii ha?c sunt, 

" Diluiaquc contra 

" Quum tuimur misceri absinthia, tangit 



" Non verba autem sola, sed versus 
v prope totos et locos quoque Lu- 
" cretii plurimos sectatum esse Vir- 
" gilium videmus." 

It is amaro in the King's, the 
Bodleian, and in one of the Arun- 
delian manuscripts. 

253. Neu.'] It is nee in the Ro- 
man, the Medicean, and some other 
manuscripts, and ne in others, ac- 
cording to Pierius. I find nee in 
one of the Arundelian, and one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts. In the other 
Arundelian it is heu, which, I sup- 
pose, is an error of the transcriber, 
for neu. 

254. Prodit.'] The King's manu- 
script and La Cerda have promit. 



166 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



lu d t u If hL d t U o r di S c?ve e r a t C hc Et quis cui color. At sceleratum exquirere frigus 

pernicious cold ; only pitch -pv«/v« *i • - 

trees, and yews, or black ivy jjimcile est : piceae tantum, taxique nocentes 

sometimes are an indication l 

SrffiSSSigySSS Interdum, aut heder* pandunt vestigia nigrae. 

pare the earth a long while Hig anima(IversiSj terram muko aBte memento 



256. Et quis cui color. At scele- 
ratum.'] So I read with Heinsius, 
Schrevelius, Masvicius, and others. 
Pierius says it is et quis cuive color. 
Sceleratum, in some very ancient 
manuscripts; and et quis cuique color 
at in the Medicean. In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is et quis cui- 
que color. Sceleratum, in the other, 
et quis cuique color. At sceleratum. 
Servius approves of the common 
reading, which is ct quisquis color. 
At sceleratum. 

251 . Picece.~] The Picea is our 
common Fir or Pitch- tree, or 
Spruce-Fir. 

Taxique nocentes.'] The berries 
of the Yew are said by Pliny to be 
poisonous : " Lethale quippe baccis, 
u in Hispania praecipue, venenum 
tc inest." Julius Caesar also tells 
us that Cativulcus poisoned himself 
with yew : " Cativulcus rex dimi- 
(i dise partis Eburonum, qui una 
(e cum Ambiorige consilium inierat, 
" aetate jam confectus, quum la- 
<e borem aut belli aut fugse ferre 
* non posset, omnibus precibus 
« detestatus Ambiorigem, qui ejus 
<e consilii auctor fuisset, taxo, cujus 
ft magna in Gallia Germaniaque 
" copia est, se exanimavit." The 
leaves also are said by the ancients 
to be destructive to horses, which 
we find to be true in England. The 
berries have been eaten by myself 
and many others -with impunity: 
but this may be owing to the differ- 
ence of climate; for Dioscorides, 
who says it is not alike poisonous 
in all places, affirms that the berries 
are poisonous in Italy, and the 
shade hurtful in Narbonne. Per- 
haps the species may be different ; 



for there is mention of a sort of yew 
in the Pisa garden, which is more 
bushy than the common, and has 
leaves more like a fir, and sends 
forth such a poisonous smell, when 
it is clipped, that the gardeners 
cannot work at it above half an 
hour at a time. 

258. Hederce nigra*.] The ber- 
ries of our common ivy are black, 
when ripe, and therefore we may 
suppose it to be the ivy here spoken 
of. There is a white ivy mentioned 
in the seventh Eclogue : 

Candidior cycnis, hedcra formosior alba. 

We find mention of it also in Theo- 
phrastus, Pliny, and Dioscorides : 
but we are not now acquainted with 
any such plant. 

25$. His animadversis, &c] Hav- 
ing explained the several sorts of 
soil, he proceeds to give some in- 
structions concerning the planting 
of vines: and speaks of the trenches 
which are to be made, to receive 
the plants out of the nursery; of 
taking care that the nursery and 
the vineyard should have a like soil; 
and that the plants should be set 
with the same aspect, which they 
had in the nursery. 

Multo ante.] This is the very 
expression of Theophrastus, who 
says that *« the trenches must be 
'« made a long while beforehand 
" and digged deep : TVjj 2i yv^ovs 
IC srpoo-opvrlu)/ coq -arXurov fc^ovov x.ocl fix- 
" Sviipve ccst." In another place he 
says it should be a year beforehand, 
with which the other writers agree, 
who mention any determinate time. 
Thus Columella : " Sed et scrobes 
i( et sulci plurimum prosunt, si in 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



16 



Excoquere, et magnos scrobibus concidere 
montes : 260 

Ante supinatas aquiloni ostendere glebas, 
Quam laetum infodias vitis genus: optima putri 
Arva solo: id venti en rant, gelidaeque pruinae, 
Et labefacta movens robustus jugerafossor. 
At si quos haud ulla viros vigilantia fugit ; 265 
Ante locum similem exquirunt, ubi prima pa- 
retur 



beforehand, and to cut the 
great hills with trenches ; and 
to turn up the clods to the 
northern wind, before you 

Slant the joyful vines : those 
elds are best which have a 
loose soil ; this is procured by 
winds, and cold frosts, and by 
loosening and digging the 
ground deep. But those who 
are completely careful, choose 
out the same sort of soil to 
plant the young cuttings 



" locis temperatis, in quibus aestas 
" non est perfervida, ante annum 
" riant, quam vineta conserantur." 
Virgil seems to express that it should 
be done a year beforehand ; for he 
says the trenches should be exposed 
to the north wind and frosts, that 
is, should lie at least a whole win- 
ter. Excoquere seems to express its 
lying a whole summer. Coqnere 
signifies to bake the earth with the 
sun, in the first Georgick : 

Pulverulenta coquat maturis solibus ae- 
stas. 

Mr. Evelyn says, «' the longer you 
" expose ike mould, and leave the 
<( receptacles open, (were it for two 
" whole winters,) it soon would re- 
" compense your expectation." 

260. Magnos scrobibus concidere 
monies.] I can hardly forbear think- 
ing that Virgil wrote magnis, which 
will make the sense be to cut the 
hills with great trenches, and agrees 
with Theophrastus, whose very 
words Virgil has almost transcribed, 
as was observed in the preceding- 
note. But I propose this only as a 
I conjecture, for it is magnos in all 
: the copies that I have seen. 

Pierius says, it is circundare in 
1 the Roman manuscript, instead of 
J concidere; and that et is left out in 
! the Medicean copy; which, in 
j truth is not very unlike Virgil's 
! style: 



. Terram multo ante memento 



Excoquere : magnos scrobibus concidere 

montes : 
Ante supinatas aquiloni ostendere glebas 
Quam laetum infodias vitis genus : 

without any conjunction copulative. 

263. Gelidaeque.'] In one of the 
Arundelian manuscripts it is geli- 
dceve ; but I take gelidceque to be 
the true reading. 

264. Robustus.] I have more 
than once observed already, that 
when Virgil speaks of making deep 
furrows, he expresses it by saying 
the bullocks must be strong: so 
here he expresses the depth of the 
trenches by saying the labourer 
must be strong. 

9.66. Prima paretur arboribus se- 
ges.] By prima seges he means the 
seminarium, or nursery, where the 
cuttings of the vines are first planted. 
Dr. Trapp interprets seges, those 
plants which spring from seed ; but 
vines are seldom, if ever, propa- 
gated by seed. Seges is sometimes 
used by Virgil for a crop ; thus we 
have lini seges for a crop of flax : 
but he uses it often also for the 
field itself; as in ver. 47. of the 
first Georgick : 

Ilia seges demum votis respondet avari 
Agricolae, bis quae solem, bis frigora 
sensit : 

where seges cannot signify the crop, 
for it would be absurd to sav, that 



163 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



«2^A££S7S2 Arboribus seges, et quo mox digesta feratur I 

the slips may not think their -»*- . . , • 

new mother strange. They Mutatam ignorent subito ne semma matrem. 

;tJso mark the aspect on the 
bark, 



Quin etiam caeli regionem in cortice simiant 



a crop of corn stands two summers 
and two winters, as Dryden has 
translated it : 

That crop rewards the greedy peasant's 

pains. 
Which twice the sun, and twice the cold 

sustains. 

In ver. 129- of the fourth Georgick, 
seges is very evidently used for land, 
and not a crop, for it is applied to 
cattle as well as vines : 



~Necfe?iUis ilia juvencis, 



Nee pecori opportana seges, nee cornmoda 
Baccho. 



267. Quo mox digesta feratur7\ 
By these words he means the vine- 
yard, into which the young vines 
are to be removed from the nursery, 
and where they are to continue. 

In the Bodleian manuscript it is 
egesta, instead of digesta. 

268. Mutatam ignorent suhito ne 
Semina matrem.~\ In the King's, the 
Cambridge, the Bodleian, and both 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts it is muiata. 
I find the same reading in most of 
the old editions, in Paul Stephens, 
La Cerda, and several others. Both 
the Arundelian manuscripts, Hein- 
sius, Ruaeus, Masvicius, and several 
other good editors read mutatam. 

" Some years ago, says Pierius, 
ct all agreed universally to write 
** mutata, referring it to semma ; 
" though in all the ancient man 11 - 
" scripts it was mutatam agreeing 
f * with matrem. Virgil's meaning 
** is, that a like soil be chosen for 
** the nursery and vineyard, lest 
" the young vines should fare like 
ie young children, when they are 
" taken from the breasts of their 
" mother and given to a strange 



' ' nurse : for they pine and cry 
" after the breast to which they 
" have been accustomed. As for 
" their interpreting semina mutata, 
" the removing of the young plants 
" from one place to another, it is 
" ridiculous." 

Semina does not always signify 
what Ave call seeds; but it is fre- 
quently used by the writers of agri- 
culture, for cuttings, slips, and 
layers. 

Matrem is here used to express 
the earth, in which the cuttings, 
and young vines are planted. 

In one of the Arundelian manu- 
scripts we have neu, and in one of 
Dr. Mead's nee, instead of ne. 

269. Coeli regionem in cortice sig- 
nanl.] Theophrastus says the posi- 
tion of trees must be regarded, as 
to north, east, or south : "HvTn^ il^v 
hut ray 2gy§g«» ra sr^og fioppoiv, ymi rd 
■zrgog %»' Ketf rot -sr^og fitcufttoguct. Co- 
lumella also advises that all trees 
should be marked, before they are 
taken out of the nursery, and adds, 
that it is of great consequence to 
preserve the same aspect, to which 
they have been accustomed : " Hanc 
" observationem non solum in vi- 
" tium positione, sed in ulmorum, 
" cseterarumque arborum praecipio, 
" et uti cum de seminario eximun- 
" tur, rubrica notetur una pars, qua? 
" nos admoneat, ne aliter arbores 
" constituamus, quam quemadmo- 
" dum in seminario steterint. PIu- 
" rimum enim refert, ut earn partem 
" caeli spectent, cui ab tenero con- 
" sueverunt." Pliny thinks this 
care not to be requisite, because 
the mention of it has been omitted 
by Cato ; and adds that some affect 
the very contrary position, in vines 



GEORG, LIB. II. 



1G9 



Ut, quo quaeque modo steterit, qua parte ca- 
lores 270 

Austrinos tulerit, quae terga obverterit axi, 
Restituant : adeo in teneris consuescere multum 

est. 
Collibus, an piano melius sit ponere vitem, 
Quaere prius. Si pinguis agros metabere campi, 
Densa sere : in denso non segnior ubere Bac- 
chus. 275 



that every slip may stand the 
same way, that it may still 
have the same position, with 
regard to south and north ; 
such is the force of custom in 
tender years. Enquire first, 
whether it is better to plant 
the vine on hills or on a plain. 
If you lay out the fields of a 
rich plain, plant thick ; for 
vines are not the less fmitful 
for being close planted. 



and figs; thinking that by this 
means the leaves grow thicker, to 
defend the fruit; and that it will 
not be so ready to drop off. " Non 
" omisisset idem, si attineret meri- 
" dianam ceeli partem signare in 
" cortice, ut translata in iisdem et 
" assuetis statueretur horis : ne 
" aquiloniae meridian is oppositse so- 
" lib us finder entur, et algerent me- 
" ridianae aquilonibus. Quod e 
" diverso affectant etiam quidam in 
" vite ficoque, permutantes in con- 
fe trarium. Densiores enim folio 
" ita fieri, magisque protegere fruc- 
" turn, et minus amittere." This 
rule, I think, is not observed by 
our modern planters : though it 
seems to have been laid down not 
without some foundation. It is 
easy to see a very great difference 
between the north and south side 
of a tree, after it has been felled : 
for the annual rings are much closer 
on the north side, than on the south. 
Mr. Evelyn says, he " can confirm 
" this advice of the Poet from fre- 
" quent losses of his own, and by 
" particular trials: having some- 
" times transplanted great trees at 
" midsummer with success, (the 
" earth adhering to the roots,) and 
" miscarried in others, where this 
" circumstance only was omitted." 

271. Quce.] Both the Arundelian 
manuscripts, Servius, La Cerda, and 
Schrevelius read qua. 



Terga.] In one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts it is terra, which must 
be an error of the transcriber. 

Axi.'] He uses axis singly for the 
north, because that pole only is 
visible to us. 

273. Collibus, an piano, &c] 
Here the poet shews the different 
way of planting a plain or a hill. 
In a plain, the vines are to be 
planted close, but on a hill they 
are to be kept at greater distances. 
He then compares a well planted 
vineyard to an army drawn up in 
form of battle. 

Vitem.] The common reading is 
vites : but I prefer vitem, as I find it 
in the Cambridge, the Bodleian, and 
in one of the Arundelian manu- 
scripts. Pierius says it is vitem in 
the Medicean, and in several other 
ancient manuscripts. Heinsius also 
reads vitem. 

275. Densa.~\ The adjective densa 
is put here adverbially for dense. 

In denso non segnior ubere.] Denso 
is generally thought to agree with 
ubere : so that the construction must 
be Bacchus non est segnior in denso 
ubere. But then what is meant by 
in denso ubere ? Grimoaldus explains 
it parvis intervallis positce in ubere 
laetoque et campestri solo : but then 
Virgil should have said densus non 
segnior ubere Bacchus. Ruaeus inter- 
prets it in denso agro, taking ubere 
and agro to mean the same ; which, 
z 



, #Q P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

^S ch ffic^ ro Sd Sin tumulis acclive solum, collesque supinos; 

•loping hills, 



I believe, cannot be proved. Dr. 
Trapp says " denso ubere, i. e. dense 
" consito, thick planted. The con- 
" text necessarily requires that con- 
" struction : though none of the 
u commentators but De La Cerda, 
* seem to have understood it." But 
La Cerda does not seem to join 
denso with ubere; for his explica- 
tion of the words in question is 
" nam hsec densitas, et consertio 
" vitium nihil impediet, quo minus 
" fertilissime proveniant vina." His 
note is upon non segnior ubere Bac~ 
chus '; which he compares with 

Non segnior agris 



Emergitque Ceres, nee segnior ubere 
Pallas. 

Here is no mention of denso, and it 
is plain that ubere is the ablative 
case after the adjective segnior, and 
not after the preposition in. I take 
the construction to be Bacchus non 
est segnior ubere, in denso, where 
denso is put as a substantive, and 
means the same, as in denso ordine : 
which I take to be La Cerda's 
meaning. 

Uber occurs so frequently in Vir- 
gil, that it may not be amiss to 
consider all the senses, in which he 
has used it. In the fifth iEneid, it 
is used for the breast of a woman : 

Cressa genus, Pholoe, geminique sub 
ubere nati. 

And again, in the sixth : 

Infantum que animse flentes in limine 

primo, 
Quos dulcis vitae exortes, et ab ubere 

raptos 
Abstulit atra dies. 

The most frequent use of the word 
is for the dug of any beast. Thus 
it is used for that of a sheep, in the 
second Eclogue : 



Bina die siccant ov is ubera : 

And in the third : 

Cogite ovesy pueri : si lac praeceperit 
aestus, 

Ut nuper, frusta pressabimus ubera pal- 
mis: 

And in the third Georgick : 

Hinc et amant fiuvios magis, et magis 
ubera tendunt : 



And again 



Exhausto spumaverit ubere mul« 



ctra: 
And again : 

■ Gravido spuerant vix ubere limen : 

And in the third $meid : 

Lanigeras claudit pecudes, atque ubera 
pressat : 

For that of a goat, in the fourth 
Eclogue : 

Ipsae lacte domum referent distenta ca- 

pellce 
Ubera : 

For that of a cow, in the third 
Eclogue : 

Ego hanc vitulam, ne forte recuses, 

Bis venit ad mulctram, binos alit ubere 

foetus, 
Depono : 

And in the ninth : 

Sic cytiso pastae distentent ubera vaccce: 

And in the second Georgick : 

Ubera vaccoe 

Lactea demittunt. 

And in the third Georgick : 

Nee tibi foetae 

More patrum, nivea implebunt mul- 

ctralia vaccoe ; 
Sed tota in dulces consurnent ubera na- 

vos ; 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



171 



Indulge ordinibus 



nee secius omnis in unguem £« t & toTV £'VS. t S 

planted exactly, 



For that of a sow, in the third 
iEneid : 

— — Inventa sub ilicibus sus 
Alba, solo recubans, albi circum ubera 
nati: 

For that of a wolf, in the eighth 
^Eneid : 

Procubuisse lupam : geminos huic ubera 

circum 
Ludere pendentes pueros : 

For that of a mare in the third 
s Georgick : 

— — Depulsus ab vbere matris : 
And in the eleventh iEneid : 

Hie natam in dumis interque horrentia 

lustra, 
Armentalis equcr mammis et lacte ferino 
Nutribat, teneris immulgens ubera labris: 

And of a doe, in the seventh 
Mneid. : 

Matris ab ubere raptum. 

In the second Georgick, it is used 
for the fruitfulness of a field : 

— — Fertilis ubere campus. 
And in the first and third iEneid : 

Terra antiqua, potens armis, atque ubere 

glebce : 

And in the seventh iEneid : 

— ■ — Non vobis rege Latino, 
Divitis uber agri, Trojaeve opulentia 
deerit : 

There are only two passages, where 
uber can be wrested to Ruseus's 
sense. The first is in this Georgick: 

Si deerunt, rarum, pecorique et vitibus 

almis 
Aptius uber erit : 

Where it may as well be rendered 
fruitfulness : « The soil is loose and 



" its fruitfulness will be more fit 
" for cattle and vines." The other 
is in the third iEneid ; 

Quae vos a stirpe parentum 

Prima tulit tellus, eadenrvos ubere laeto 

Accipiet reduces : 

Where it may also have the same 
signification : " that land which pro- 
u duced your ancestors will receive 
" you also with a joyful fruitful' 
" ness :" and therefore the passage 
now under consideration may be 
rendered literally, " Bacchus is not 
" more backward in fruitfulness in 
" a close planted vineyard." 

277. Secius.] In the Bodleian 
manuscript it is segnius, and in one 
of the Arundel ian copies it is serius. 

Omnis in unguem arboribus po- 
sitis secto via limite quadref] This 
passage has occasioned some diffi- 
culty. Several of the commentators 
think he is speaking of the Quin- 
cunx, of which number are Gri- 
moaldus and Ruaeus. La Cerda 
thinks, with better reason, that he 
means planting the vines in a 
square, that is, in the following 
order. 



The Quincunx has its name from 
the numeral V: three trees being 
planted in that form are called the 
single quincunx. The double quin- 
cunx is the V doubled, which makes 
an X, being four trees planted in a 
z2 



172 



P. VIRGILII MARONI& 



so that every s pace maysquare 
with that which crosses it. 
As in a great war, when the 
long extended legions have 
ranged their cohorts, and the 
squadrons stand marshalled in 
the open plain, and the armies 
are drawn up, and the whole 
field waves all over with 
gleaming brass, and the hor- 
rid battle is not yet begun, 



Arboribus positis secto via limite quadret. 
Ut ssepe ingenti bello cum longa cohortes 279 
Explicuit legio, et campo stetit agmen aperto, 
Directaeque acies, ac late fluctuat omnis 
JEre renidenti tellus, nee dum horrida miscent 



square, with a fifth in the centre. 
This being often repeated forms the 
following figure : 

***** 
* * * * 

***** 



Now as Virgil compares the dispo- 
sition of the trees in a vineyard to 
an army drawn up in battle array, 
it is evident, that he must mean 
the former figure : the latter not 
being proper for that purpose. The 
Romans usually allowed three feet 
square for every common soldier to 
manage his arms, that is, six feet 
between each, which is a proper 
distance for the vines in Italy, ac- 
cording to Columella, who says the 
rows should not be wider than ten 
feet, nor nearer than four : " Sed 
" de spatiis ordinum eatenus prae- 
" cipiendum habemus, ut intelligant 
" agricolae sive aratro vineas culturi 
" sunt, laxiora interordinia relin- 
" quenda, sive bidentibus angusti- 
te ora : sed neque spatiosiora, quam 
" decern pedum, neque contracti- 
s( ora, quam quatuor." These dis- 
tances may indeed agree very well 
with the warmer climate of Italy ; 
but, as Mr. Miller justly observes, 
the dampness of our autumns re- 
quires our vines to be planted at 
greater distances. He advises them 



to be planted so, that there may 
be ten feet between each row, and 
six feet in the rows, between each 
vine. 

In unguem is allowed by all the 
commentators to be a metaphor 
taken from the workers in marble, 
who try the exactness of the joints 
with their nails. It signifies there- 
fore perfectly or exactly. 

Via signifies the spaces or paths 
between the rows. 

Limes is the cross path, which, 
in the square figure, cuts the other 
at right angles. 

I take the order of the words to 
be thus : nee seeius via quadret secto 
limite, arboribus positis in unguem; 
" and no less let every path, or space 
" square with the cross path, the 
" trees being planted exactly." 

279. Ingenti bello. 2 In one of 
the Arundelian manuscripts it is in- 
genti in bello. 

Cum longa cohortes explicuit legio.] 
A Roman legion consisted of ten 
cohorts. These legions marched in 
a square; but, in time of battle, 
they were drawn into a longer form, 
which Virgil beautifully expresses 
by longa cohortes explicuit legio. 

281. Ac] In one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts it is at. In several of 
the old editions it is et. 

282. Benidenti] In the King's, 
both the Arundelian manuscripts, 
and in the old Nuremberg edition, 
it is renitenii. Pierius found the 
same reading in some old manu- 
scripts : but renidenti in the Roman, 
and some others. This is the only 
simile in the second Georgick : but 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



173 



Praelia, sed dubius mediis Mars errat in armis. 
Omnia sint paribus numeris dimensa viarum : 
Non animum modo uti pascat prospectus inanem : 
Sed quia non aliter vires dabit omnibus sequas 
Terra, neque in vacuum poterunt se extendere 
rami. 287 



but doubtful Mars fluctuates 
in the midst of arms. So let 
your vineyard be divided by 
an equal number of spaces; 
not only to delight a vain 
mind with the prospect but be- 
cause the earth cannot other- 
wise afford equal strengtli 
to all, nor the branches ex- 
tend themselves at large. 



never did any poet draw one with 
greater propriety. The rows of 
vines are compared to the ranks 
and files of a Roman army, when 
they are ranged in the most exact 
discipline, and not yet disordered 
by fighting. The shining beauty 
of the clusters is finely represented 
by the splendor of the brazen arms, 
and not a word is used, that does 
not serve to justify the comparison. 
In both, the design of this order is 
the same: not only to please the 
eye with the beauty of so regular a 
prospect: but because it is most 
proper for the use, for which they 
are intended. 

Dryden has translated cum longa 
cokortes explicuit legio, 

As legions in the field their front display: 

which is the very reverse of Virgil's 
expression : for, instead of display- 
ing their front, they are drawn up, 
in time of battle, with a narrower 
front, than in their march. 

And equal Mars, like an impartial lord, 
Leaves all to fortune, and the dint of 
sword. 

This is a \ery bad translation of 
dubius mediis Mars errat in armis. 
Virgil's sense is, that Mars still 
hovers doubtfully between the two 
armies, not having yet determined 
to which side to give the victory, 
not a man has yet stirred from his 
place to give the onset. Mr. 
13 's translation begins : 

As when two mighty armies all in sight, 
Stretch'd on some open plain, begin the 
fight. 



But Virgil does not compare his 
vineyard to two armies: but only 
to that of the Romans. The design 
of the Poet is to celebrate the exact- 
ness of the military discipline of his 
own country in ranging their sol- 
diers ; to which the barbarous dis- 
cipline of their enemies was by no 
means to be compared. Dr. Trapp's 
translation comes much nearer the 
sense of his author, and is almost 
literal. 



As in war, 



The long extended legion forms in lines 
Its cohorts; when the marshall'd squa- 
drons stand 
In the wide plain, and, the whole army 

rang'd, 
The ground all fluctuates with the brazen 

gleam ; 
Nor yet in horrid shock the battle joins, 
But Mars uncertain, hovers o'er the field. 

284. Numeris.] " The word nu- 
" merus in the singular, and numeri 
" in the plural, has a great variety 
" of significations, and means quan- 
" tity as well as number; also order, 
" regularity , exactness, &c. or if it 
c ' be here taken for number ; it 
" means the same number of paths 
<{ crossing one another, to make an 
" exact square upon the whole : 
" which must likewise be divided 
" into squares, and so the distances 
" must be equal." Dr. Trapp. 

Dimensar\ In one of the Arun- 
delian manuscripts it is demensa. 

287. Poterunt se extendere.] " In 
" the Roman manuscript it is pote- 
" runt extendere, without the pro- 
" noun se : as elsewhere, ferro ac- 



174 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



Perhaps you may desire to 
know how deep the trenches 
ought to be. For my own 
part, I venture my vine in a 
slight furrow. But trees must 
be planted deep, and far in 
the ground : chiefly the JEs- 
culus, whose root' descends 
as low towards hell as its 
branches rise up in the au- 
to wards heaven. 



Forsitan et scrobibus quae sint fastigia quaeras. 
Ausim vel tenui vitem committere sulco. 
Altius ac penitus terra? defigitur arbos : 290 
JEsculus in primis, quae, quantum vertice ad 

auras 
iEtherias, tantum radice in Tartara tendit. 



<c cingunt and lateri adglomerant 
" nostro, without se. But in the 
" Medicean, and other manuscripts, 
" se is inserted. Pierius. 

288. Forsitan et scrobibus, &c] 
The subject of this paragraph is 
the depth of the trenches. He says 
the vine may be planted in a shal- 
low trench, but great trees require 
a considerable depth; of these he 
gives the MscuIils for an example, 
and thence takes occasion to give a 
noble description of that tree. 

289» Ausim vel tenui vitem com- 
mittere sulco.] In one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts it is ter instead of vel. 

The Roman husbandmen seem 
not to have been well agreed about 
the depth of their trenches for 
planting vines. Columella would 
have them from two to three feet 
deep, according to the goodness of 
the soil : but we find in that author, 
that some of his contemporaries 
blamed him, thinking he had as- 
signed too great a depth. Virgil 
seems to approve of a shallow 
trench, but he speaks of it with 
caution. He does not lay it down as 
an absolute rule, in which all were 
agreed, but only says that he him- 
self would venture so to do: in 
which he seems to hint, that the 
common practice of his time was 
different. 

290. Altius ac penitus terras defi- 
gitur arbos.~\ Pierius says it is aU 
tior in some ancient manuscripts. 
Heinsius has embraced this reading; 
but I take it to be corrupt. Ausim 
vitem committere ac arbos defigitur is 



such a connection, as, I believe, 
Virgil would not have made use of. 
Observe how wretchedly it appears 
in English: " I would venture my 
" vine in a slight furrow, and a 
" taller tree is planted deep in the 
" ground." The reading would be 
tolerable, if it was at instead of ac : 
but no authority is offered for this 
alteration. But even, if this was 
admitted, taller in this place, would 
be a poor and useless epithet. I 
take altius to have been altered to 
altior, by some tasteless transcriber, 
who taking a vine to be a tree, 
thought there wanted an epithet to 
make a distinction between vitis 
and arbos. But vines were not ac- 
counted trees; but shrubs, or some- 
thing of a middle nature between 
trees and shrubs. Thus Columella: 
" Nam ex surculo vel arbor pro- 
" cedit, ut olea : vel frutex, ut pal- 
" ma campestris : vel tertium quid- 
" dam, quod nee arbor em, nee fru- 
" ticem proprie dixerim, ut est 
" vitis." 

221. JEsculus.] See the note on 
ver. 15. 

Quantum vertice ad auras, &c] 
This very expression is used of the 
Quercus, in the fourth iEneid ; 

Ac velut annoso validam cum robore 

quercum 
Alpini Boreae, nunc bine, nunc flatibus 

illinc 
Eruere inter se certant; it stridor, et alta 
Consternunt terram concusso stipite 

frondes : 
Ipsa haeret scopulis : et quantum vertice 

ad auras 
JElhtr'iaS) tantum radice in Tartara tendit. 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



175 



Ergo non hyemes illam, non flabra, neque im- 

bres 
Convellunt: immotamanet, multosque nepotes, 
Multa virum volvens durando saecula vincit. 295 
Turn fortes late ramos et brachia tendens 
Hue illuc, media ipsa ingentem sustinet umbram. 
Neve tibi ad solem vergant vineta cadentem : 
Neve inter vites corylum sere : neve flagella 



Therefore no storms, no 
blasts, nor showers can hurt 
it ; unshaken it stands, and 
outlasts many descents, many 
ages of men. It extends its 
strong branches and arms ail 
around, and standing itself in 
the midst sustains the vast 
shade. Let not your vine- 
yards look towards'the setting 
sun; plant no hazels amongst 
your vines ; do not take the 
upper 



293. Non Jlabra.] In one of the 
Arundelian manuscripts it is nee 

Jlabra. 

294. Multosque nepotes."] So I 
read with Heinsius and Masvicius. 
The same reading is in the Roman 
manuscript according to Pierius. 
Others read multosque per annos. 

297. Ipsa.] It is ipsam in one of 
the Arundelian manuscripts. 

298. Neve tibi ad solem, &c.] In 
this passage are several short pre- 
cepts relating to vineyards, with a 
beautiful account of the danger of 
intermixing wild olives with the 
vines, lest a fire should kindle 
among them, and destroy the vine- 
yard. 

Columella, speaking of the aspect 
of a vineyard, tells us that the an- 
cients were greatly divided about it. 
He recommends a south aspect in 
cold places, and an east aspect in 
warm places, if they be not subject 
to be infested with the east and 
south winds, as on the sea coast of 
Baetica: in which case, he says, 
they are better opposed to the 

north, or west : " Caeli re- 

" gionem, quam spectare debeant 
" vineae, vetus est dissensio, Saserna 
" maxime probante solis ortum, 
" mox deinde meridiem, turn oc- 
" casum, Tremellio Scrofa praeci- 
" puam positionem meridianam 
t( censente, Virgilio de industria 
<e occasum sic repudiante, 



«« Neve tibi ad solem vergant vineta ca- 
" dentem. 

" Democrito et Magone laudantibus 
" caeli plagam septentrionalem, quia 
" existiment ei subjectas feracissi- 
<c mas fieri vineas, qua? tamen bo- 
" nitate vini superentur. Nobis in 
" universum praecipere optimum 
" visum est, ut in locis frigidis me- 
" ridiano vineta subjiciantur, tepidis 
" orienti advertantur, si tamen non 
ft infestabuntur austris, eurisque, 
" velut orae maritimae in Baetica. 
" Sin autem regiones praedictis ven- 
cf tis fuerint obnoxiae, melius aqui- 
" loni, vel favonio committentur, 
" nam ferventibus provinciis, ut 
" iEgypto, et Numidia, uni septen- 
" trioni rectius opponentur." 

299. Neve inter vites corylum sere.] 
In the King's manuscript it is cory- 
los. The hazel has a large, spread- 
ing root, which would therefore in- 
jure the vines. This seems to be 
the reason of roasting the entrails 
of the goat on hazel spits, as we 
find in this Georgick : 

Et ductus cornu stabit sacer hircus ad 

aram, 
Pinguiaque in verubus torrebimus exta 

colurnis. 

The goat was sacrificed to Bacchus, 
because that animal is highly in- 
jurious to vines: and its entrails 
were roasted on hazel spits, because 
that plant is also destructive to a 



176 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



y^cu^Si^fSn^Eto" Summa pete, aut summa destringe ex arbore 

of a tree, so great is the love i ar\r\ 

of earth ; do not hurt your plantaS : 300 

plants with a blunt knife : 



Tan t us amor terrse : neu ferro laede retuso 



vineyard. The hazel was used to 
bind the vines. See the note on 
rubea, book i. ver. 266. 

Nevejiagella summa pete.] Virgil 
is generally understood to mean by 
fiagella summa the topmost shoots of 
the tree : but these are mentioned 
in the words immediately following. 
Most of the translators therefore 
have blended them together. I 
take summa fiagella to mean the 
upper part of the shoot, which 
ought to be cut off, and is not 
worth planting, as Mr. Miller has 
observed : <e You should always 
* f make choice of such shoots as 
* c are strong and well ripened of 
™ the last year's growth. These 
ft should be cut from the old vine, 
u just below the place where they 
" were produced, taking a knot of 
" the two years' wood, which should 
<c be pruned smooth : then you 
■* should cut off the upper part of 
" the shoot, so as to leave the 
tc cutting about sixteen inches long. 
" Now in making the cuttings 
" after this manner, there can be 
" but one taken from each shoot ; 
" whereas most persons cut them 
<c into lengths of about a foot, and 
" plant them all, which is very 
" wrong : for the upper parts of 
" the shoots are never so well 
" ripened as the lower part which 
" was produced early in the spring; 
" so that if they do take root, they 
" never make so good plants, for 
n the wood of those cuttings being 
" spungy and soft, admits the 
<c moisture too freely, whereby the 
" plants will be luxuriant in growth, 
" but never so fruitful as such 
<c whose wood is closer and more 
lc compact." 



300. Summa destringe ex arbore 
plantas.] So I read with Heinsius : 
the common' reading is summas de- 
fringe. Pierius says it is summas de- 
stringe in some old manuscripts j 
but summa in the Roman, and other 
more ancient copies. One of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts has summas^de- 
stringe : the other and the Cam- 
bridge copy have summa defringe. 
The same reading is in the Nuren- 
berg, and several other old editions. 

Columella says the best cuttings 
are those which are taken from the 
body j the next from the branches: 
and the third from the top of the 
tree ; which soonest take, and are 
most fruitful, but soonest grow 
old : " Optima habentur a lumbis : 
" secunda ab humeris : tertia sum- 
" ma in vite lecta, quae celerrime 
" comprehendunt, et sunt feraciora, 
" sed et quam celerrime senescunt." 

301. Tantus amor terrce.] The 
Poet seems by this expression to 
insinuate that those shoots which 
grow nearest the earth, contract 
such a liking to it, that they take 
better in it. 

Neu ferro lade retuso.] In the 

Bodleian manuscript it is ne ferro 

lade retuso: in the King's it is neu 

ferro lade vetusto : in one of Dr. 

Mead's it is neu ferro lege recuso. 

A blunt knife not only increases 
the labour of the husbandman, but 
also tears the vines, and makes 
wounds that are not so apt to heal, 
as Columella has observed: " Super 
" caetera illud etiam censemus, ut 
(< duris, tenuissimisque et acutissi- 
" mis ferramentis totum istud opus 
" exequamur : obtusa enim, et 
" hebes, et mollis falx putatorem 
cc moratur, eoque minus operis em- 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



177 



Semina : neve oleae sylvestres insere truncos. 
Nam saepe incautis pastoribus excidit ignis, 
Qui furtim pingui primum sub cortice tectus 
Robora comprendit, frondesque elapsus in altas 
Ingentem caelo sonitum dedit. Inde secutus 
Per ramos victor, perque alta cacumina regnat, 
Et totum involvitflammis nemus, et ruit atram 
Ad caelum picea crassus caligine nubem : 
Praesertim si tempestas a vertice sylvis 310 

Incubuit, glomeratque ferens incendia ventus. 
Hoc ubi, non a stirpe valent, caesaeque reverti 
Possunt, atque ima similes revirescere terra : 
Infelix superat foliis oleaster amaris. 



nor intermix the truncheon* 
of the wild olive. For a 
spark often falls from the 
unwary shepherds, which 
being at first concealed under 
the unctuous bark, lays hold 
of the stem, and thence 
getting up into the topmost 
leaves, sends a great crack- 
ling up to heaven; then 
pursues its conquest over 
the boughs, reigns over the 
lofty head, and spreads its 
flame over the whole grove, 
and thick with pitchy dark- 
ness drives the black cloud 
to heaven; especially if a 
tempest has descended on 
the woods, and a driving wind 
rolls the fire along. When 
this happens, they are de- 
stroyed down to the root, and 
can no more arise, or recover 
themselves from the ground ; 
but the unblest wild olive 
with bitter leaves remains. 



Cf cit, et plus laboris affert vinitori. 
e{ Nam sive curvatur acies, quod 
*' accidit molli, sive tardius pene- 
" trat, quod evenit in retuso et 
w crasso ferramento, majore nisu 
" est opus. Turn etiam plagse as- 
" perae, atque inaequales, vites la- 
" cerant. Neque enim uno sed 
'* seepius repetito ictu res transigi- 
" tur. Quo plerumque fit, ut quod 
" praecidi debeat, perfringatur, et 
<e sic vitis laniata, scabrataque pu- 
" trescat humoribus, nee plagee 
" consanentur. Quare magnopere 
" monendus putator est, ut pro- 
" lixet aciem ferramenti, et quan- 
" turn possit, novaculae similem 
" reddat." 

302. Neve olece sylvestres insere 
truncos.~] It seems by this passage, 
as if it had been a custom to plant 
wild olives in the vineyards, for 
supports to the vines. This the 
Poet justly reprehends, because a 
spark, lighting accidentally on the 
unctuous bark of the olive, may set 
the whole vineyard on fire. May 
seems to understand this precept 
of Virgil to relate to the planting of 
wild olives, not amongst the vines, 



but amongst the cultivated olives : 
for his translation is thus : 

Nor yet 



Wild olive trees amongst other olives 
set. 

310. A vertice.] Servius, Gri- 
moaldus, and, after them, Ruseus, 
think that by a vertice is meant 
from the north $ because that pole 
appears above our heads : hie vertex 
nobis semper sublimis. But I rather 
believe it means only from above : 
for the most furious winds do not 
come from the north : and in the 
first Georgick, we have the south 
wind mentioned to come ab alto: 
which if it be taken to mean from 
high, as some understand it, cannot 
surely be interpreted of the north 
pole: 

i Namque urget ab alto 

Arboribusque satisque notus, pecorique 
sinister. 

See the note on book i. ver. 324. 

312. Non a stirpe valent.'] They 
are the vines, which he says are 
destroyed for ever; for he men- 
tions the wild olives immediately 
afterwards, as recovering them- 
selves. 
2jk 



178 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



Let no man, be he ever so 
wise, prevail upon you to stir 
the hard earth, when the 
north wind blows. Then 
winter binds up the country 
with frost, and does not suffer 
the frozen root of the young 
plants to take hold of the 
earth. The best time for 
planting vineyards is, when 
in the glowing spring the 
white bird appears, which is 
hated by the long snakes : or 
else about the first cold of 
autumn ; .when the rapid sun 



Ncc tibi tarn prudens "quisquam persuadent 
auctor 315 

Tellurem Borea rigidam spirante moveri. 
Rura gelu turn claudit hyems, nee semine jacto 
Concretam patitur radicem adflgere terrae. 
Optima vinetis satio, cum vere rubenti 
Candida venit avis longis invisa colubris : 320 
Prima vel autumni sub frigora, cum rapidus sol 



315. Nee tibiy &c] Here we have 
a precept relating to the time of 
planting vines ; which is either in 
the spring or autumn -, from which 
the Poet beautifully slides into a 
most noble description of the 
spring. 

316. Moveri."] So it is in the Ro- 
man manuscript, according to Pie- 
rius, who prefers this reading to 
movere, as it is in the other copies. 
Heinsius also has moveri. 

319- Optima vinetis satio, cum vere 
rubenti.] Most of the printed edi- 
tions have est after satio : but it is 
wanting in the King's, the Bod- 
leian, both the Arundelian, and both 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts. Heinsius 
also and Masvicius leave out est. 

The epithet fuhenii may allude to 
the red flowers, which appear in the 
spring : or rather, it may be put 
for bright, or shining ; for purpureus 
is used for any bright colour, and 
the spring has often that epithet. 

320. Candida avis.] The stork, 
a bird of passage, which comes into 
Italy in the spring ; or in summer, 
according to Pliny : " Ciconice 
'* quonam e loco veniant, aut quo 
** se referant, incompertum adhuc 
** est. E longinquo venire non du- 
ft bium, eodem quo grues modo : 
te illas hyemis, has cestatis adve- 
" nas." 

Longis invisa colubris.] Pliny tells 
us* that storks are in such esteem 



for destroying serpents, that, in 
Thessaly, it is a capital crime to 
kill them, and the punishment is 
the same as for murder : " Honos 
" iis serpentium exitio tantus, ut 
" in Thessalia capitate fuerit occi- 
" disse, eademque legibus poena, 
" quae in homicidam." 

321. Prima vel autumni sub fri- 
gora.] The time which the Poet 
means in this place, must be the 
latter end of autumn, which the 
Romans reckoned to begin on the 
twelfth of August. Their winter 
began on the ninth of November : 
and therefore we mny understand 
the first; cold of autumn to mean 
the end of October, or the begin- 
ning of November. This agrees 
with what Columella has said about 
the time of planting vineyards: 
that it is either in spring or au- 
tumn ; in spring, if it be a cold 
or moist climate, or the soil be fat, 
or on a plain ; and in autumn, if 
the contrary. He says the tinfe of 
planting in the spring is from the 
thirteenth of February to the vernal 
equinox: in the autumn, from the 
fifteenth of October to the first of 
Dscemher; " Sequitur opus vineae 
" conserendae, quae vel vere vel au- 
" tumno tempestivedeponitur. Vere 
" melius, si aut pluvius, aut frigi- 
" dus status caeli est, aut ager pin- 
" guis, aut campestris, et uliginosa 
C( planicies : rursus autumno si sic- 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



179 



Nondum hyemem contingit equis, jam proetcrit 

sestas. 
Ver adeo frondi nemorum, vcr utile sylvis : 
Vere tument terra?, et genitalia semina poscunt. 
Turn pater omnipotens foecundis imbribus 

aether 325 

Conjugis in gremium lsetae descendit, et omnes 



does not yet touch the winter 
with his horses, and the heat 
is just gone. The sprine 
above al seasons is bene'cial 
to the verdure of the groves, 
the spring i^ beneficial to the 
woods : in the spring the 
lands swell, and require the 
genial seeds. Then the al- 
mighty father ..Ether de- 
scends into the bosom of his 
joyful spouse with fruitful 
showers, and 



" ca, si calida est aeris qualitas, si 
" exilis, atque aridus campus, si 
ts macer praeruptusve collis : vernae- 
" que positionis dies fere quadra- 
" ginta sunt ab Irlibus Februariis 
" usque in aequinoctium : rursus 
" autumnalis ab ldibus Octobris in 
* 4 Calendas Decembres." Observe 
that our Calendar varies a fortnight, 
since the time it was settled by Ju- 
lius Csesar : for the vernal equinox, 
which is now about the tenth or 
eleventh of March, was then about 
the four or five and twentieth. This 
must always be remembered, when 
the days of the month are quoted 
from the ancient Roman authors. 

322. Nondum hyemem contingit 
equis.] Ruaeus interprets this the 
tropic of Capricorn. But the sun 
passes into Capricorn, at the time 
of the winter solstice, which was 
about their twenty-fourth or twen- 
ty-fifth of December. This season 
could not possibly be called autumn 
by Virgil. 

Jam prceterit cestas.'] JEstas, sum- 
mer, seems to be put here for warm 
weather. See the note on ver. 312. 
of the first Georgick. 

Ver adeo.] Philargyrius looks 
upon adeo. as an expletive. Ruaeus 
interprets it pr&cipue. See the note 
on adeo, book i. ver. 24. 

324. Vere tument terra.] " The 
" earth swells," says Theophrastus, 
" when it is moist and warm, and 
" enjoys a temperate air : for then 
" it is yielding, ready to burst, and 



" full of juice :" 'Ogy«e 2' cVasv gW^ 
fjt,ir^cc. rori yot^ ivhia.yjoTos n xoii tv- 

325. Turn pater omnipotens, fyc] 
The Poet calls the JEther or sky, 
the almighty father, or Jupiter: for 
they are the same in the heathen 
mythology. Juno also is the earth, 
which Virgil here calls the wife of 
the almighty iEther. The earth is 
rendered fruitful by the showers 
falling from the sky : which the 
Poet expresses by iEther descend- 
ing into the bosom of his wife. 
The following verses of Lucretius 
are not much unlike those of our 
Poet, who seems to have had them 
before his eye, when he wrote this 
passage. 

Postremo pereunt imbres, ubi eos pater 
iEther 

In gremium m atr is Terrai' praacipitavit. 

At nitidas surgunt fruges, ramique vires- 
cunt 

Arboribus ; crescunt ipsae, fcetuque gra- 
vantur : 

Hinc alitur porro nostrum genus, atque 
ferarum : 

Hinc laetas urbes pueris florere videmus, 

Frondiferasque novis avibus canere undi- 
que sylvas. 

Hinc fessao pecudes pingues per pabula 
laeta 

Corpora deponunt, et candens lacteus 
humor 

Uberibus manat distentis; hinc nova 
proles 

Artubus infirmis teneras lasciva per herbas 

Ludit, lacte mero mentes percussa no- 
vellas. 

326. Latce.] In one of the Arun- 
2 A 2 



180 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



IrSfLd^ourfsh^aii her Magnus alit, magno commixtus corpore, foetus. 

offspring. Then do the lone- A . ..'.., 

i y thickets resound with tune- Avia turn resonant avibus virgulta canons, 

ful birds, and the herds renew 

their love at their stated time.- Et venerem ceitis repetunt armenta diebus : 329 

the teemuig earth brings r 

theiJ'boTomfto^he'wirS Parturit almus ager, zepbyrique tepentibus auris 

zephyrs : 



delian, and in one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts it is late: which is a 
very elegant reading, and expresses 
the wide extent of the spring show- 
ers. Late is a favourite adverb with 
Virgil, in this sense. Thus we find 
in the first Georgick : 

Amnis abundans 

Exit, et obducto late tenet omnia limo : 

And 

Omnia ventorum concurrere prselia vidi, 
Quae gravidam late segetem ab radicibus 

imis 
Sublime expulsam eruerent. 

On the other side, it must be said, 
that lata is here no insignificant 
epithet : for the earth may well be 
said to be glad, at the falling of 
these fruitful showers. There is 
an expression something like this 
in the seventh Eclogue : 

Jupiter et loeto descendet plurimus imbri. 

Here indeed not the earth, but the 
shower is called joyful : but yet this 
epithet is added to the shower by a 
metonymy, for the shower can no 
otherwise be said to be joyful, than 
as it makes the earth so. 

328. Turn.] It is cum, in the 
Cambridge manuscript. 

329. Venerem ceriis repetunt ar- 
menta diebus.] The brute part of the 
creation are known to have their 
stated times of propagating their 
species. Aristotle, from whom Vir- 
gil probably took this observation, 
says the general time for this is the 
spring. The words, which that 
great philosopher uses on this sub- 
ject, will, I believe, not be disagree- 
able, in this place, to the learned 



reader : BovXirxi ph ovv *i (^ing rvv 
•zuXiifav, zrifu to* xvrov %%ovov -ztomo-Sxi 

TJJV OftlXlXV TXVTIjV, orxv £» rov ytfifAavog 
[AiTxQxXXYi -zrgog to §\qcg. xvm tit £5"<v » 
rov ixpog eopot, iv v\ roc ■3rXi7fx, xxt zrirwcc, 
XXI TTiQotjXCtl TTXuTX OgftCC 7T(>0g tov o-vvov- 
CCO-f&OV. 7T61UTXI $1 SVtX, TW OftitXV XXI TOf 

toxcv, xxi f&ero7ra(>ov xxi %ttfAwvog } oiot 
tuv rg Wvhpav ecrrsc yir/i, xxi tmv TTiTti- 
vuv, a,\foqu7Cog <& [tccXtrx ttxo-xv agxy, 
xxl toUv <rvvxv^pa7nv6f/kvc>)V tyav rttZuii 
vroXXx, did rhv xXzxv xxi WTgoQixv, o<rt>v 
xxi xl xvvio-iig oXiyoftgovixt sitriv, olov vbg 
xxi xvvog, xxi ruv %itwwv oo~x vrXioyxxig 
notovvrxi rovg roxovg. We find some- 
thing like this in Pliny : " Caeteris 
" animalibus stati per tempora anni 
" concubitus, homini omnibus ho- 
" ris dierum noctiumque. Caeteris 
" satietas in coitu, homini prope 
'? nulla." Lucretius also mentions 
the spring as the season for the 
generation of animals ; 

Nam simul ac species patefacta 'st verna 

diei, 
Et reserata viget genitalis aura Favoni ; 
Aerise primum volucres te, Diva, tuum- 

que 
Significant initum percussae corda tua vi : 
Inde ferae pecudes persistant pabula laeta, 
Et rapidos tranant amnes ; ita capta le- 

pore, 
Illecebrisque tuis omnis natura animan- 

turn 
Te sequitur cupide, quo quamque indu- 

cere pergis : 
Denique per maria, ac montes, fiuvios- 

que rapaces, 
Frondiferasque domos avium, camposque 

virentes, 
Omnibus incutiens blandum per pectora 

amorem, 
Efficis ut cupide generatim ssecla propa- 

gent. 

330. Parturit almus ager."] In 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



181 



Laxant arva sinus : superat tener omnibus 

humor : 
Inque novos soles audent se gramina tuto 
Credere: nee metuit surgentes pampinus austros, 
Aut actum caelo magnis aquilonibus imbrem : 
Sed trudit gemmas, et frondes explicat omnes. 
Non alios prima crescentis origine mundi 336 
Illuxisse dies, aliumve habuisse tenorem 
Crediderim: ver illud erat: ver magnus agebat 
Orbis, et hybernis parcebant flatibus euri : 
Cum primae lucem pecudes hausere, virumque ' 
Ferrea progenies duris caput extulitarvis: 
Immissaeque ferae sylvis, et sidera caelo. 



all abound with gentle mois- 
ture: and the herbs can safe- 
ly trust themselves to the 
new suns : nor dor s the vine- 
branch fear the rising south 
winds, or the shower driven 
down from heaven by the 
furious north : but puts forth 
its buds, and unfolds all its 
leaves. No other days, I be- 
lieve, shone, nor was it any 
other season, at the beginning 
of the growing world : it was 
then the spring: spring 
smiled over all the globe, 
and the east winds forbore 
their wintry blasts: when 
cattle first drew light, and 
the iron race of men lifted 
up its head from the hard 
fields ; and wild beasts were 
sent into the woods, and 
stars into the heavens. 



one of the Arundelian manuscripts 
it is parturit alma Venus. 

332. Gramma."] In the King's 
manuscript it is germina. 

336. Non alios, cVc] I take the 
Poet's meaning here to be, not that 
there was a perpetual spring, at the 
beginning of the world : but that it 
was the spring season, when cattle 
and men were created. He assigns 
this reason for it : the new created 
beings would not have been able to 
have sustained the extremities of 
heat or cold 5 and therefore, it must 
have been spring, when they were 
created, that they might have time 
to grow hardy, before a more incle- 
ment season should begin. 

Dryden has greatly debased the 
elegance of these lines, by making 
use of vulgar, and, in this place, 
ridiculous expressions: 

In this soft season (let me dare to sing) 
The world was hatch' d by heaven's im- 
perial King 
In prime of all the year, and lioly-days of 
spring. 

340. Cum prima.] In one of the 
Arundelian manuscripts, and in an 



old Paris edition, printed in 1494, 
it is turn primum. In the Cambridge 
manuscript, it is cum primam. Pie- 
rius says it is cum primes, in the 
Roman and Medicean manuscripts. 
Heinsius, Masvicius, and some old 
editions have cum prima. The 
common reading is cum primum. 

341. Ferrea.'] Some read terrea, 
on the authority of Lactantius : 
but it may as well be supposed, 
that it is an error in the copy of 
Lactantius. Virgil seems to have 
Imitated Hesiod : 



Nyy 



<yug on yivas %?i 



1 ffibvigt 



Duris."] In some of the old edi- 
tions it is durum. 

Arvis.] In the Bodleian manu- 
script it is armis. 

Ruseus thinks the Poet here al- 
ludes to the iron age, and the resti- 
tution of the earth by Deucalion 
and Pyrrha, as was related in the 
note on ver. 62. of the first Geor- 
gick. But that learned commen- 
tator seems to have forgotten, that 
Virgil is here speaking of the very 
first age of the world. 



182 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



hSe c ffiS;?r r S r a C SS?, N ec res hunc tenerse possent perferre laborem, 

if there had not been a rest . n . , 

between cold and heat, and oi non tanta quies iret irigusque caloremque 

if the indulgence of heaven * ox T 

But^rocllZAln^s Inter > et exciperet cali indulgentia terras. 345 

soever you lay down in the Quo(] superestj quaecu nque premes virgulta per 

agros, 



344. Si non tanta quies iret, &c] 
In the old Nurenberg edition it is 
" Si non tanta quies inter frigusque 
" caloremque iret." 

345. Exciperet.] In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is h<zc pa- 
reret. 

346. Quod superest, #c] The 
Poet now proceeds to give direc- 
tions, about layers: and recom- 
mends dunging, Eind laying stones 
and shells at the roots. 

Primes."] ServiuS interprets this 
demerges, infqdies. Hence mon of 
the commentators have agreed to 
understand the Poet to speak of 

rig in general. Mr, B is 

singular in understanding virgulta 
premere to be meant of layers: 

Now, when you lend the layers to the 
ground. 

This however I take to be Virgil's 
sense. We have seen at the begin- 
ning of this book, that he recom- 
mends layers, as the best way of 
propagating vines : Propaghie vites 
respondent: to this method of pro- 
pagating therefore it is most pro- 
bable that he should allude. And 
besides premere seems more proper 
to express the laying down a branch, 
than the planting of a cutting or 
removing of a young tree. La 
Cerda interprets virgulta premere, 
infodere surculos in scrobibus, and 
endeavours to strengthen it with 
two quotations, neither of which 
seem to me to answer his purpose. 
The first is from Caius : " Quod si 
" vicini arborem in terra presserim, 
" ut in meum fundum radices ege- 
" rit." Caius speaks here plainly 



of layers. He says a tree is the 
property of that person, in whose 
ground it strikes root : and there- 
fore if I lay it down in such a 
manner, as to make it strike root 
in my ground, it becomes my tree. 
Surely this can he understood only 
of laying down a branch, which 
extends itself over my ground, and 
heaping the earth about it, which 
is expressed by si terra presserim : 
for I have no right to remove my 
neighbour's tree, or to take cuttings 
from it. See the entire passage. 
" Si alienom plantam in meo solo 
" posuero, mea erit, ex diverso 
" si meam plantam in alieno solo 
" posuero, illius erit. Si modo 
" utrnque casu radices egerit : an- 
" tequam enim radices ageret, illius 
<( permanet, cujus et fuit. His 
" conveniens est, quod si vicini 
" arbcrem ita terra presserim, ut in 
"meum fundum radices egerit: 
" meam effici arborem. Rationem 
" enim non permittere, ut alterius 
" arbor intclligatur, quam cujus 
" fundo radices egisset. Et ideo 
" prope confinium arbor posita, si 
" etiam in vicinum fundum radices 
te egerit, communis est." The se- 
cond is from Horace : terra premam, 
pro infodiam. The words of that 
poet are, « 

Satis superque me benignitas tua Ditavit. 
Haud paravero 

Quod aut, avarus ut Chremes, terra pre- 
mam ; 

Discinctus aut perdam, ut nepos. 

Here indeed terra premere does sig- 
nify to bury: but the literal mean- 
ing of the words is to press icith 
earth, which is more applicable to 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



183 



Sparge fimo pingui, et multa memor occule 

terra : 
Aut lapidem bibulum, aut squalentes infode 

conchas. 
Inter enim labentur aquae, tenuisque subibit 
Halitus : atque animos tollent sata. Jamque 

reperti, 350 

Qui saxo super, atque ingenti pondere testae 
Urgerent : hoc effusos munimen ad imbres : 
Hoc, ubi hiuica siti findit canis aestifer arva. 
Seminibus positis, superest deducere terram 



be careful to spread fat dung, 
and to cover them with a 
good deal of earth ; or bury 
spongy stones or rough shells 
about their roots. By this 
means the water will soak 
through, and a fine vapour 
will penetrate them ; and the 
plants will be vigorous. There 
are some now, who press a 
great weight of stones or pot- 
sheards about them ; this is a 
defence against pouring show- 
ers, this when the burning 
dog star cleaves the gaping 
fields with thirst. When the 
layers are planted out, it re- 
mains to draw up the earth 



layers, than to any other way of 
planting : because in this case a 
branch is laid down into a trench, 
and covered over with earth. 

347. Sparge fimo pingui, &;c] We 
are informed by Columella that the 
direction about burying stones and 
shells is taken from Mago the Car- 
thaginian, who also advises dung- 
ing, but adds, that grape-stones 
ought to be mixed with the dung. 
" Id enirn vitare facile est, per 
" imum solum juxta diversa latera 
" fossarum dispositis paucis lapidi- 
" bus, qui singuli non excedant 
" quinque lihrale pondus. Hi vi- 
" dentur, ut Mago prodit, et aquas 
" hyemis, et vapores aestatis pro- 
c< pulsare radicibus : quern secutus 
" Virgilius tutari semina, et muniri 
" sic prsecipit : 

" Aut lapidem bibulum, aut squallentes 
" infode conchas : 

" et paulo post : 

" - ■ ■ Jamque reperti, 

" Qui saxo super, atque ingenti pondere 

" testae 
" Urgerent ; hoc effusos munimen ad im- 

" bres, 
" Hoc ubi hiulci siti findit canis aestifer 

" arva. 

" Idemque Poenus autor probat vi- 
" nacea permista stercori depositis 



" seminibus in scrobem vires mo 
" vere, quod ilia provocent, et 
" eliciant novas radiculas : hoc per 
" hyemem frigentem, et humidam 
lt scrobibus inferre calorem tem- 
iS pestivum, ac per sestatem viren- 
" tibus alimentum, et humorem 
" praebere. Si vero solum, cui 
ei vitis committitur, videtur exile, 
" longius aceersitam pinguem hu- 
" mum scrobibus inferre censet." 
Mr. Evelyn after mentioning the 
placing of potsheurds, fiints, or peb- 
bles, near the root of the stem, adds 
this caution: " But remember you 
" remove them after a competent 
" time, else the vermin, snails and 
" insects which they produce and* 
" shelter, will gnaw, and greatly 
" injure their bark, and therefore 
" to lay a coat of moist rotten litter 
" with a little earth upon it, will 
" preserve it moist in summer, and 
" warm in winter, enriching the 
" showers and dews that strain 
" through it." 

352. Munimen.] In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is munimine. 

S53. Hoc.] In the same manu- 
script it is atque instead of hoc. 

354. Seminibus positis,] In this 
passage the Poet mentions digging 
the ground, propping the vines, 
and pruning them. 



184. 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



often about the roots, and to 
exercise the hard drags ; or 
to turn up the soil with urg- 
ing the plough, and to bend 
the striving bullocks amongst 
the very vineyards ; then to 
prepare smooth reeds and 
spears of peeled rods, and 
ashen poles j and two-horned 
forks; by the strength of 
which your vines may learn 
to rise, and contemn the 
winds, and climb up the 
stages to the tops of the elms. 
Whilst your plants are in their 
infant state, with young 
branches, you should spare 
their tender age ; and whilst 
the joyful branch spreads it- 
self in the open air with 
slackened reins, 



Saspius ad capita, et duros jactarebidentes; 355 
Aut presso exercere solum sub vomere, et ipsa 
Flectere luctantes inter vineta juvencos. 
Turn laeves calamos, et rasae hastilia virgae, 
Fraxineasque aptare sudes, furcasque bicornes : 
Viribus eniti quarum, et contemnere ventos 360 
Assuescant, summasque sequi tabulata per ulmos. 
Ac dum prima novis adolescit frondibus aetas, 
Parcendum teneris ; et dum se laetus ad auras 
Palmes agit, laxis per purum immissus habenis, 



355. Capita.] It is generally 
agreed that capita means here the 
root of the tree. Mr. B seems 

to take it for the top : 

High as your plant oft raise the neigh- 
b'ring soil. 

Bidentes.] The bidens seems to 
be that instrument with two hooked 
iron teeth, which our farmers call 
a drag. It is used to break the 
surface of the ground, and may be 
serviceable near the roots of the 
vines, where the plough coming 
too near would be apt to injure 
them. 

359- Fraxineasque.] The conjunc- 
tion que is wanting in the King's 
"manuscript. 

Bicornes.] Pierius says it is/«r- 
casque valentes in the Roman manu- 
script. We find the same reading 
in the Cambridge, and in one of 
the Arundelian manuscripts. 

361 . Tabulata.'] The tabulata are 
the branches of elms extended at 
proper distances, to sustain the 
vines ; as we find in Columella : 
" Cum deinde adolescere incipient, 
" falce forinandae, et tabulata in- 
<c stituenda sunt : hoc enim nomine 
" usurpant agricolae ramos truncos- 
" que prominentes, eosque vel pro- 
et pius ferro compescunt, vel lon- 



" gius promittunt, ut vites laxius 
" diffundantur : hoc in solo pingui, 
" melius iilud in gracili : tabulata 
" inter se minus ternis pedibus 
" absint, atque ita formentur, ne 
* superior ramus in eadem linea 
" sit, qua inferior : nam demissum 
" ex eo palmitem germinantem in- 
" ferior atteret, et fructum de- 
et cutiet." 

363, Parcendum teneris: et dum se 
latus ad auras.] In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is parcendum 
est teneris j et dum se latus ad auras. 
In the other it is parcendum est tene- 
ris : dum sese Icetus ad auras. 



364:. Agit.] It is aget 



the 

Medicean manuscript, according to 
Pierius. 

Laxis.] It it lapsis in the King's 
manuscript. 

Per purum immissus habenis.] This 
is a metaphor taken from horses. 
" This expression," says Dr. Trapp, 
" with submission to Virgil, is a 
" little harsh, as applied to the 
" growth of a tree :" but the same 
metaphor had been used before by 
Lucretius : 

Arboribus datum 'st %-ariis exinde per 

auras 
Crescendi magnum immissis certamen 

habenis. 

Per purum in Virgil signifies th« 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



185 



Ipsa acies nondum falcis tentanda, sed uncis 365 
Carpendse manibus frondes, interque legendae. 
Inde ubi jam validis amplexse stirpibus ulmos 
Exierint, turn stringe comas, turn brachia tonde. 
Ante reformidant ferrum : turn denique dura 
Exerce imperia, et ramos compesce fluentes. 370 
Texendse sepes etiam, et pecus omne tenendum : 



the edge of the pruning knife 
is not yet to be applied; 
but the young shoots should 
be nipped with your fingers 
here and there. But when 
they have given the elm a 
strong embrace, then strip 
the shoots; then prune the 
boughs. Before this they 
cannot bear the knife ; but 
now exercise a severe domi- 
nion over them, and re- 
strain the luxuriant branches. 
Hedges also are to be woven, 
and all sorts of cattle to be 
restrained; 



same as per auras in Lucretius. 
Horace uses it also for the air : 

Pur purum tonantes 

Egit equos. 

365. Ipsa acies nondum falcis ten- 
tanda.] Pierius reads ipsa acie falcis 
nondum ttntanda. I find the same 
reading in one of che Arundelian 
manuscripts, both Dr. Mead's, and 
in several printed editions. He says 
it is ipsa acie nondum falcis in the 
Roman manuscript, and so it is in 
the other Arundelian copy, and some 
printed editions. The King's, the 
Cambridge, and the Bodleian manu- 
scripts, Servius, Heinsius, Ruaeus, 
Masvicius, and several others have 
ipsa acies nondum falcis tentanda. 
Quintilian alludes to this passage, in 
the second book of his institutions: 
** Ne illud quidem quod admonea- 
te mus indignum est, ingenia puero- 
* rum nimia interim emendationis 
" severitate deficere : nam et despe- 
" rant, et dolent, et novissime ode- 
" runt : et quod maxime nocet, 
" dum omnia timent, nihil conan- 
" tur. Quod etiam rusticis notum 
" est, qui frondibus teneris non 
<e putant adhibendum esse falcem, 
" quia reformidare ferrum videntur, 
" et cicatricem nondum pati posse." 
Uncis carpendte manibus frondes,"] 
By uncis manibus, crooked hands, the 
Poet means nipping the tender 
shoots with the thumb and finger, 
which is practised in summer time, 
before the shoots are grown woody 
and hard. 



367- Stirpibus.] In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is viribus, 
which reading Fulvius Ursinus ob- 
served also in the old Colotian 
manuscript. 

370. Ramos compesce fluentes?] 
Pierius says it is ramos compesce va- 
lentes in the most ancient Roman 
manuscript ; and thinks both the 
precept and expression are taken 
from the following passage of 
Varro : ' ' Vites pampinari, sed a 
w sciente : nam id, quam putare 
u majus ; neque in arbusto, sed in 
" vinea fieri. Pampinare est ex 
¥ sarmento coles, qui nati sunt, de 
'.' iis, qui plurimum valent, pri- 
C( mum ac secundum, nonnunquam 
<e etiam tertium relinquere, reliquos 
" decerpere, ne relictis colibus sar- 
" mentum nequeat ministrare suc- 
" cum." 

371. Texendce sepes, #c] Here 
the Poet speaks of making hedges, 
to keep out cattle, and especially 
goats, whence he takes occasion 
to digress into an account of the 
sacrifices to Bacchus. 

In one of the Arundelian manu- 
scripts it is etjam pecus omne timen- 
dum. In the Bodleian it is etiam 
et pecus omne tuendum. Pierius says 
it is tuendum in the Roman manu- 
script. Ruaeus and most of the 
editors have est after tenendum. 
Pierius says est is wanting in the 
Medicean copy. It is left out in all 
the manuscripts I have collated, and 
by Heinsius, La Cerda, Masvicius, 
and several others. 

2b 



186 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



SJ^^ilSeSbSS Pr*cipue dum frons tenera, imprudensque 

injuries; for, more than cruel •• 1 

winters, and powerful suns, laDOrum I 

do the wild buffalos, and per- ,~ . • t i 

secuting goats insult Cui, super indignas hyemes solemque potentem, 

Sylvestres uri assidue capreaeque sequaces 374 



This expression of weaving a 
hedge does not seem to mean a 
green hedge, but a fence made of 
stakes, interwoven with dry sticks. 

373. Super indignas hyemes.'] 
Grimoaldus and Ruaeus interpret 
super, prater: in this sense Dr. 
Trapp has translated it : 



Besides storms, 



And the sun's heat, the buffalos and 

goats, 
And sheep, and greedy heifers, hurt thy 

vines. 

La Cerda interprets it, that cattle 
do more harm to the vineyards, 
than heat and cold : ** Etiamsi 
" hyemes indignae, id est magna?, 
" noceant novellis vitibus, et sol, 
tf cum potens est, id est, cum est 
(< aestivus : tamen magis nocumen- 
" turn accipiunt ab uris, ovibus, 
" capreis, juvencis." In this sense 
it is translated by May, 

Wild bulls and greedy goats more harm 
will do 

Than scorching summers, and cold win- 
ters too : 

And by Dryden : 

Whose leaves are not alone foul winter's 
Prey, 

But oft by summer's suns are scorch'd 
away ; 

And worse titan both, become th' unwor- 
thy browze 

Of buffalos, salt goats, and hungry cows. 

" I understand," says Mr. B , 

" super in this place, as it is said 
•* super ccenam, or else it seems to 
<e me that there would be a disa- 
u greeable repetition of the same 
" things in the following lines : 

" Frigoia nee tantitm, &c." 



Accordingly he translates it, 

' In parching summer, and in winter 
snows, 
Wild beasts and wanton goats insult 

the boughs, 
And sheep and hungry heifers feed 
the luscious browze. 



But La Cerda has already vindi- 
cated this passage from the impu- 
tation of tautology. See the note 
on ver. 376. 

Indignas is generally thought to 
signify only great, in which sense 
it seems to have been used in the 
tenth Eclogue : 

■ Indigno cum Gallus amore periret. 

374. Sylvestres uri.] The urus, 
as described by Julius Caesar, is a 
wild bull of prodigious strength 
and swiftness, being almost as big 
as an elephant: tg Tertium est 
" genus eorum, qui Uri appellan- 
tur. Ii sunt magnitudine paullo 
" infra elephantos 5 specie, et co- 
" lore, et figura tauri. Magna vis 
" est eorum, et magna velocitas. 
" Neque homini, neque ferae, quam 
" conspexerint, parcunt." He 
speaks of it, as one of the rare 
animals which are found in the 
Hercynian wood, and are not seen 
in other places: " Hujus Hercy- 
" niae Sylvae, quae supra demon- 
e< strata est, latitudo ix dierum iter 
" expedito patet. Non enim aliter 
" finiri potest, neque mensuras iti- 
" nerum noverunt. Oritur ab Hel- 
" vetiorum, et Nemctum, et Rau- 
ct racorum finibus, rectaque fluminis 
" Danubii regione pertinet ad fines 
(t Daeorum, et Anartium. Hinc 
" se flectit sinistrorsus, diversis a 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



Illudunt : pascuntur oves : avidseque juvencae. 



187 



them ; and sheep and greedy 
heifers browze upon them. 



" flumine regionibus, multarumque 
" gentium fines propter magnitudi- 
•' nem attingit. Neque quisquam 
" est hujus Germanise, qui se adisse 
" ad initium ejus sylvae dicat, quum 
" dierum iter lx processerit, aut 
" quo ex loco oriatur, acceperit. 
" Multa in ea genera ferarum nasci 
u constat, quae reliquis in locis visa 
<e non sint : ex quibus quae maxime 
" difFerant ab caeteris, et memoria 
<f prodentla videantur, hgec sunt." 
After these words Csesar describes 
a bull shaped like a stag, the elk, 
and the urus, as in the former quo- 
tation. Servius thinks the uri are 
so called airo tut o^m, from moun- 
tains : but it is more probable that 
the Romans only Latinised the Ger- 
man name Aurochs or Urochs, for 
the ancient Germans called any 
thing wild, vast, or strong, ur ; 
and ochs, in their language signifies 
an ox. The uri therefore men- 
tioned by Virgil cannot be the 
urus described by Csesar, which 
was an animal utterly unknown 
in Italy. To solve this difficulty, 
La Cerda would have us read tauri 
instead of uri : but then what shall 
we do with ver. 532. of the third 
Georgick ? 
Quaesitas ad sacra boves Junonis et Uris : 

for here iauris instead of uris cannot 
stand in the verse. The same com- 
mentator proposes another solution, 
to read ursi instead of uri: but 
this is a mere conjecture. Ruseus 
interprets sylvesires uri " Bubali 
" quos vulgus cum Uris confundit. 
« Plin. 1. viii. 15." This is not a fair 
interpretation of Pliny's words: 
that author does not say the com- 
mon people call the bubalus, urus ; 
but that they call the urus, bubalus : 
" Paucissima Scythia gignit, inopia 
"fhiticum: pauca contermina illi 



" Germania: insignia tamen bourn 
" ferorum genera, jubatos, bisontes, 
" excellentique et vi et velocitate 
" uros, quibus imperitum vulgus 
u bubalorum nomen imponit, cum id 
" gignat Africa, vituli potius cervive 
" quadam simiiitudine." The Bu- 
balus of Pliny seems to be that 
which Bellonius describes under the 
name of Bos Africanus, which he 
says is less than a stag, of a square 
make, with reddish shining hair, 
and horns bending towards each 
other, in form of a half moon. It 
is therefore very different from the 
Buffalo, which is common in Italy, 
of the milk of which they make 
those fine cheeses, which they call 
casei di cavallo; it is larger than 
the common kine, has a thicker 
body, a very hard skin, and thick, 
bending black horns. I do not find 
that this animal was distinguished 
anciently by any particular name : 
and therefore Virgil might probably 
borrow the name of Urus, which 
was known to signify the wild 
bull of the Hercynian forest. La 
Cerda quotes a passage of S. Isi- 
dore, to shew that the Bubalus was 
common in Italy in his time, which 
was very ancient. The words of 
S. Isidore are : " Boas anguis Italias 
" immensa mole : persequitur gre- 
" ges armentorum et bubalos : et 
" plurimo lacte irriguis uberibus 
t( se innectit, et surgens interimit, 
" atque inde a bourn populatione 
u boas nomen accepit." It is easy 
to see that S. Isidore took what he 
says, in this quotation, from the 
following passage of Pliny : <{ Fa- 
" ciunt his fidem in Italia appellatae 
" boae : in tantam amplitudinem ex- 
" euntes, ut, Divo Claudio prin- 
" cipe, occisee in Vaticano solidus 
" in alvo aspectatus sit infans. 
" Aluntur primo bubuli lactis succo,, 
2 b 2 



188 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



Nor do the colds stiff with 
hoary frost, nor the burning 
heats beating upon the scorch- 
ing rocks hurt them so much 
as those animals, and the poi- 
son of their cruel teeth, and 
the scar inflicted on the bit- 
ten stem. For this crime 
alone is the goat sacrificed on 
all the altars of Bacchus, 



Frigora^nec tantum cana concreta pruina, 376 
Aut gravis incumbens scopulis arentibus sestas, 
Quantum illi nocuere greges, durique venerium 
Dentis, et admorso signata in stirpe cicatrix. 
Non aliam ob culpam Baccho caper omnibus 
aris 380 



<e imde nomen traxere." It is 
highly probable,, that the good bi- 



shop read bubali in Pliny, instead 
of the adjective bubuli : and there- 
fore we cannot infer that the Buffalo 
was anciently called Bubalus. 

Capreceque sequaces.] It is caprce 
in the Cambridge, the Bodleian, 
both the Arundelian, and both Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts. 

Servius renders sequaces, persecu- And Dryden : 
trices. It signifies pursuing with 
desire ; thus, in the second Eclogue: 



is cestus instead of cestas. See the 
note on book i. ver. 312. and book 
ii. ver. 322. 

Servius interprets incumbens sco- 
pulis, Etiam saxa caloribus penetrans , 
in which sense he is followed by 
Ruasus and May : 



And parching suns, that burn the hard- 
est rocks : 



Nor dog-days' parching heat, that splits 
the rocks : 



Florentem cytisum scqultur lasciva ca- 

pella, 
Te Cory don o Alexi : trahit sua quemque 

voluptas. 

376. Frigora nee tantum, fyc] 
<c He now explains more fully what 
f* he had said before, and shews 
ee what are those cruel winters, 
cc what the powerful suns, what the 
<c injury of beasts. As if he should 
ee say, I said that the cattle did 
<c more harm to vineyards than 
" cruel winters, or scorching suns : 
c< for neither the colds stiff with 
<f hoary frost (here is the cruelty of 
<e winter), nor the burning heats 
<e beating upon the scorching rocks 
" (here is the powerful sun), do so 
" much harm as those cattle : for 
" their bite is full of poison, and 
" may be called a scar, or ulcer, 
" rather than a bite." La Cerda. 

377. Gravis incumbens scopulis 
arentibus cestas.] In the Cambridge 
manuscript it is ardentibus instead 
of arentibus. In the King's, and 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts it 



And Mr. B- — : 

Not raging heats that pierce through 
thirsty rocks : 

And Dr. Trapp : 

Nor summer, when it drys and burns 
the rocks. 

But what harm is it to the vineyards 
if the rocks are split or burnt with 
heat ? I take the poet's meaning to 
be, that vineyards planted on a 
rocky soil, which therefore suffer 
most in dry weather, are not so 
much injured by the most scorching 
heat, as by the biting of cattle. 
The poet mentions vineyards being 
planted in rocks, in ver. 520. 



Et alte 



Mitis in apricis coquitur vindemia saxis. 

380. Non aliam ob culpam Baccho 
caper omnibus aris cceditur.] In one 
of the Arundelian manuscripts we 
have causam instead of culpam, but 
culpam is more poetical. 

This seems to be taken from 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



189 



Cseditur, et veteres ineunt proscenia ludi : 
Praemiaque ingeniis pagos et compita circum 



and the ancient plays come 
upon the stage: and the 
Athenians proposed rewards 
for wit about the villages and 
cross-ways j 



Varro, who tells us, that the bite 

of goats poisons the vines and 

olives, for which reason goats are 

sacrificed to Bacchus, by way of 

punishment for their crime : " Quse- 

tt dam enim pecudes culturae sunt 

" inimicae, ac veneno, ut istae, quas 

t{ dixisti, caprce. Eae enim omnia 

" novella sata carpendo corrum- 

" punt, non minimum vites, atque 

" oleas. Itaque propterea institu- 

" turn diversa de causa, ut ex ca- 

" prino genere ad alii dei aram 

hostia adduceretur, ad alii non 

sacrificaretur, cum ab eodem odio 

alter videre nollet, alter etiam 

videre pereuntem vellet. Sic 

factum, ut Libero patri repertori 

vitis hirci immolarentur, proinde 

" ut capite darent pcenas. Contra ut 

c ' Minervse caprini generis nihil im- 

<l molarent, propter oleam, quod 

" earn, quam laeserit, fieri dicunt 

ec sterilem. Ejus enim salivam esse 

Ct fructui venenum." 

381. Proscenia.] " The ancient 
{e theatre was a semicircular build- 
" ing, appropriated to the acting of 
" plays, the name being derived 
" from Stdopxi, to behold. It was 
" divided into the following parts, 
ie 1* The Portions, scalce, sedilia: 
" the rows of sedilia, or seats, were 
" called cunei, because they were 
<l formed like wedges, growing nar- 
" rower, as they came nearer the 
c< centre of the theatre, and these 
" were all disposed about the cir- 
" cumference of the theatre. 2. The 
" orchestra, so called from o^iTcr^cci, 
" to dance: it was the inner part, or 
" centre of the theatre, and the 
" lowest of all, and hollow, whence 
" the whole open space of the 
" theatre was called cavea. Here 
" sat the senators, and here were 



t( the dancers and music. 3. The 
"proscenium, which was a place 
'* drawn from one horn of the 
" theatre to the other, between the 
" orchestra and the scene, being 
" higher than the orchestra, and 
' ' lower than the scene : here the 
" comic and tragic actors spoke and 
<c acted upon an elevated place 
" which was called the pulpitum, or 
" stage. 4. The scene was the op- 
"posite part to the audience; 
" decorated with pictures and co- 
{C lumns, and originally with trees, 
" to shade the actors, when they 
" performed in the open air : so 
" called from <txjjv«, a shade. 5. The 
" poscenium, or part behind the 
" scenes." Ru^eus. 

382. Ingeniis.~\ It is usually 
printed ingenles, which seems to be 
an useless epithet in this place. 
Ruseus refers it to Theseidae, making 
the sense to be, " the great Athe- 
tc nians instituted rewards about the 
" villages and cross-ways." Servius, 
Grimoaldus, and La Cerda take no 
notice at all of ingentes. Mr. B — 
joins it with pagos, and translates 
them crowded villages. Dr. Trapp 
in his note says, " sure it belongs 
" to pagos," but he seems to omit 
it in his translation : " And all the 
" roads and villages around." 

1 have put ingeniis instead of ingen- 
tes on the authority of Pierius, who 
says it is ingeniis in all the most 
ancient manuscripts, which he had 
seen. The poet here alludes to the 
ancient custom amongst the Greeks 
of proposing a goat for a prize to 
him, who should be judged to excel 
in satirical verse. Thus Horace : 

Carmine qui tragico vilem certavit ob 
hircum. 



190 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and rejoicing in their cups 
danced upon the greasy skins 
in the soft meadows. The 
Ausonian husbandmen also, 
who derive their original from 
Troy, jest in uncouth verses, 
and with unbounded laugh- 
ter ; and put on horrid masks 
made of barks of trees ; and 
invoke thee, O Bacchus, :in 
joyful strains, and hang up 
little soft images to thee on 
a lofty pine. 



Theseidae posuere, atque inter pocula lasti 
Mollibus in pratis unctos saluere per utres. 
Nee non Ausonii, Troja gens missa, coloni 385 
Versibus incomptis ludunt, risuque soluto ; 
Oraque corticibus sumunt horrenda cavatis : 
Et te, Bacche, vocant per carmina laeta, tibique 
Oscilla ex alta suspendunt mollia pinu. 



Hence this sort of poetry came to 
obtain the name of tragedy from 
rgecyos, a goat, and a^q, a song. 
There is a line in Horace not much 
unlike this of Virgil : it is in his 
first epistle : 

Quis circura pagos, et circum compita 
victor. 

Pagos."] Pagus seems to be de- 
rived from znjyjj, a well; because 
where they found a well, they be- 
gan to make their habitations. 

383. Theseidaz.] Tragedy had its 
beginning among the Athenians. 
Thespis, an Athenian Poet, who 
was contemporary with Solon, im- 
proved it, and is commonly said to 
have invented it: though it was 
very rude even in his time, as we 
find in Horace : 

Ignotum Tragicae genus invenisse Ca- 

moenae 
Dicitur, et plaustris vexisse poemata 

Thespis, 
Quae canerent agerentque peruncti faeci- 

bus ora. 

Wlien Tliespis first exposed tlie Tragic 

muse. 
Rude were the actors, and a cart tJie scene, 
Wliere gliasily faces stained •with lees of 

•wine 
Frighted tJie children, and amus'd the 

crowd. 

Lord Roscommon. 

It is even now a custom in Italy, 
for the country people, as they 
are carrying the grapes home, to 
tread them in the cart, and, with 
faces all besmeared, to throw out 



uncouth jests at those who pass by. 
This seems to bear a great resem- 
blance to the original of tragedy, as 
mentioned by Horace. Theseus was 
king of Athens, and first brought 
them out of the fields to live in 
walled towns. Hence they are 
called Theseida? by Virgil. 

384. Unctos saluere per ulres7\ 
The utres were bags made of goats' 
skins, into which they put their 
wine, as is now practised in the 
Levant. These skins were blown 
up like bladders, and besmeared 
with oil. They were set in the 
fields, and it was the custom to 
dance upon them with one leg, at 
the feasts of Bacchus. The skins 
being very slippery, the dancers 
often fell down, which occasioned a 
great laughter. 

3S5. Ausonii Troja.'] In the 
King's manuscript it is Ausonii et 
Troja. 

388. Vocant.] La Cerda reads 
canunt. 

389. Oscilla.~\ The learned are 
divided about the meaning of the 
word oscilla in this place. Some 
have recourse to the following fable. 
Bacchus had taught Icarius, an 
Athenian shepherd, the use of wine, 
which he communicated to his 
neighbours. The country people, 
being exceedingly delighted with 
this noble liquor, drank of it to 
excess, and finding themselves dis- 
ordered, thought they had been 
poisoned by Icarius, and killed him. 
His dog returning home to Erigone, 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



191 



Hinc omnis largo pubescit vinea foetu : 390 
Complentur vallesque cavae, saltusque profundi, 
Et quocunque deus circum caput egit honestum. 
Ergo rite suum Baccho dicemus houorem 
Carminibus patriis, lancesque et liba feremus ; 
Et ductus cornu stabit sacer hircus ad aram, 395 
Pinguiaque in verubus torrebimus exta colurnis. 



Hence every vineyard swells 
with a large produce; and 
the hollow valleys, and shady 
groves are filled, wheresoever 
the god shews his gracious 
countenance. Therefore we 
will honour Bacchus with our 
country verses according to 
custom, aud offer chargers 
and holy cakes ; and the sa- 
cred goat shall be led by the 
horns and stand at his altar, 
and we wili roast the fat en- 
trails on hazel spits. 



the daughter of Icarius, conducted 
her to the dead body of his master, 
on the sight of which she hanged 
herself. Soon after the Athenians 
were visited with a great pestilence, 
and their young women running 
mad hanged themselves. On con- 
sulting the Oracle they were told, 
that they must appease the manes 
of Erigone. This they performed, 
by tying ropes to the branches of 
trees and swinging on them, as if 
they were hanged : and afterwards, 
many falling down and hurting 
themselves, they hung up little 
images instead of themselves. May 
thinks it alludes to these images : 

And virgin's statues on the lofty pine 
Did hang. 



Mr. B . understands it of the 

swinging : 

They ride on swings suspended in the 
wind. 



And Mr. B- 



And indeed there are not wanting 

some commentators, who tell us, it 

was the custom, at the feasts of 

Bacchus, to swing on ropes, and 

play at see-saw like our children. 

Others say the oscilla were bunches 

of flowers in the form of phalli; 

of this opinion is Grimoaldus : " Et 

*' ad risus excitandos imagunculas 

*< appensas arboribus, instar mem- And Dr. Trapp : 

" brorum virilium ore lingerent." 

Ruaeus says they were little earthen 

images of Bacchus, which were 

thought to bestow fertility which 

way soever their faces turned, as 



they were blown about by the 
wind. In this he is followed by 
Dryden : 

In jolly hymns they praise the god of 

wine, 
Whose earthen images adorn the pine : 

And by Dr. Trapp : 

And hang thy little images aloft 
On a tall pine. 

393. Suum honorem.] Pierius says 
it is suos konores in some ancient 
manuscripts, which seems a more 
grand expression. 

394. Liba.'] The libum was a sort 
of holy cake, made of flower, honey, 
and oil, or, according to some, of se- 
sasum, milk, and honey. 

395. Ductus cornu.] The victims 
were led with a slack rope to the 
altar : for if they were reluctant it 
was thought an ill omen. Dryden 
therefore is mistaken when he trans- 
lates this passage, 



— — — And a guilty goat 

Dragged by the horns be to his altars 
brought. 



And a hallow'd goat 



Dragged by the horns be to his altar 
brought. 



And at his altar kill the victim goat, 
Dragged by the horns. 



396. Verubus colunris."] See the 
note on ver. 299- 



192 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



There is yet another labour 
which belongs to vines, of 
which there is no end : for 
the whole ground is to be 
ploughed three or four times 
every year, and the clods are 
continually to be broken with 
bended drags : all the grove 
is to be lightened of its leaves. 
The labour of husbandmen 
comes round again, and the 
year rolls round in the same 
steps. Arid when the vine- 
yard shall have lost its latest 
leaves, and the cold north 
wind shall have deprived the 
woods of their glory, even 
then the diligent countryman 
extends his care to the fol- 
lowing year, 



Est etiam ille labor curandis vitibus alter, 

Cui nunquam exhausti satis est : namque omne 

quotannis 
Terque quaterque solum scindendum, glebaque 

versis 
iEternum frangenda bidentibus: omne levandum 
Fronde nemus. Redit agricolis labor actus in 

orbem, 401 

Atque in se sua per vestigia volvitur annus. 
Ac jam olim seras posuit cum vinea frondes, 
Frigidus et sylvis Aquilo decussit honorem ; 
Jam turn acer curas venientem extendit in annum 



397. Est etiam, fyc] He now re- 
turns to the vineyards, and shews 
what labour farther attends the cul- 
ture of them, in frequent digging, 
dressing, and pruning. 

399. Versis bidentibus. ~\ I have 
shewn what instrument the bidens 
is, in the note on ver. 355. I take 
the epithet versis in this place to 
signify bent ; for the drag is like a 
long-tined pitchfork, with the tines 
bent downwards, almost with right 
angles. 

400. Omne levandum fronde ne- 
mus.] It is usual to thin the leaves, 
to give the sun a greater power to 
ripen the fruit; 

402. In se sua per vestigia volvitur 
annus] Annus is said by some to 
be derived from annulus 3 a ring: 
though the contrary seems more 
probable. The hieroglyphical re- 
presentation of the year is a serpent 
rolled in a circle with his tail in 
his mouth. 

403. Et] In one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts it is at : in the King's 
and in some printed editions it is ac. 

Seras posuit cum vinea frondes.] 
Columella says the vineyard should 
begin to be pruned about the begin- 
ning of our October, if the weather 



be fair and mild, and the equinoc- 
tial rains have preceded, and the 
shoots have acquired a just degree 
of ripeness: for a dry season re- 
quires the pruning to be later: 
" Placet ergo, si mitis, ac tempe- 
" rata permittit in ea regione, quam 
" colimus, cseli dementia, facta vin- 
Ct demia, secundum idus Octobris, 
" auspicari putationem, cum tamen 
** equinoctiales pluviae praecesserint, 
" et sarmenta justam maturitatem 
" ceperint, nam siccitas seriorem 
" putationem facit." 

404. Frigidus et sylvis Aquilo de- 
cussit honorem] " Tins entire line 
" is taken from Varro Atacinus." 
Fulv. Ursin. 

405. Curas venientem extendit in 
annum.] This autumnal pruning is 
really providing for the next year. 
Thus Columella: " Quandocunque 
" igitur vinitor hoc opus obibit, tria 
" prascipue custodiat. Primum ut 
11 quam maxime fructui consulat : 
" deinde, ut in annum sequentem 
" quam laetissimas jam hinc eligat 
IC materias : turn etiam ut quam lon- 
" gissimam perennitatem stirpi ac- 
" quirat. Nam quicquid ex his 
" omittitur, magnum affert domino 
" dispendium." 



GEORG. JLIB. II. 



193 



Rusticus, et curvo Saturni dente relictam 
Persequitur vitem attondens, fingitque putando. 
Primus Iiumum fodito, primus devecta cremato 
Sarmenta, et vallos primus sub tecta referto : 409 
Postremus metito. Bis vitibus ingruit umbra : 
Bis segetem densis obducunt sentibus herbae: 
Durus uterque labor. Laudato ingentia rura : 



and persecutes the naked vine 
with Saturn's hook, and forms 
it by pruning. Be the first to 
dig the ground, be the first 
to ourn the shoots which you 
have cut off, and be tlie hrst 
to carry the stakes home; 
be the last to gather. Twice 
does shade overgrow the vin es . 
Twice do weeds, and bushea 
over-run the ground : both 
these require great labour. 
Commend a large farm, 



406 . Rusticus.] Pierius says it is 
agricola in the Roman manuscript. 

Curvo Saturni dente.] Saturn is 
represented with a sickle in his 
hand. The ancient pruning knife 
seems to have been larger than 
what we use, and perhaps was the 
very same instrument with that 
which they used in reaping. Both 
are called falx. 

Relictam vitem.~\ I have trans- 
lated it the naked vine; that part 
which is left, when all the fruit is 
gathered, and the leaves are fallen 
off. Servius interprets it that which 
the husbandman had left a little be- 
fore : " scilicet a se paulo ante de- 
" sertam." In this sense Mr. B — 
has translated it : 

He seeks the vine which he had just 

forsook. 

Ruseus interprets it nudatam vitem, 
in which he is followed by Dryden : 

Ev'n then the naked vine he persecutes. 

Dr. Trapp has not translated relic~ 
tarn : but in his note ne says " re- 
" lictam ; i. e. aliquandiu neglectam. 
" Ruaeus renders it by nudatam; 
" which is very strange." 

407. Persequitur vitem attondens, 
Jingitque putando.'] In one of Dr. 

Mead's manuscripts it is prosequitur 
instead of persequitur. 

Grimoaldus, La Cerda, Ruaeus, 
and some others understand this verse 
not to mean only pruning, but to 
consist of two parts. They inter- 



pret vitem attondens to mean the 
cutting off the roots which grow 
near the surface of the ground, or 
day roots, which the Romans called 
ablaqueatio. Columella speaks of 
this at large, in lib. iv. c. 8. Dr. 
Trapp translates it lops. 

410. Metito.~\ Messis and meto 
are used for the gathering in of any 
produce ; as well as for harvest and 
reaping. Virgil applies messis, in 
the fourth Georgick, to the taking 
of the honey : duo tempora messis. 

Bis vitibus ingruit umbra.~\ The 
vines are twice overloaded with 
leaves : therefore they must be 
pruned twice in a year. He means 
the summer dressing, when the 
young shoots are to be nipped with 
the fingers; and the autumnal 
pruning. 

412. Laudato ingentia rura, exi- 
guum colito.] This is an imitation 
of the following Verse of Hesiod : 

N? okty/iv a/vs/v, fjt,iyu.Xn B* iv) Qogria 9i- 

The meaning of the Poet seems to 
be, that you may admire the splen- 
dor of a large vineyard, but that 
you had better cultivate a small 
one: because the labour of culti- 
vating vines is so great, that the 
master cannot extend his care over 
a very large spot of ground. Colu- 
mella relates a story from Graecinus, 
in confirmation of this. A man had 
two daughters, and a large vine- 
vard, of which he gave a third part 
2c 



194 P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

but cultivate a small one. The T? •.,;,»„.!»„ /,a1;.„ XT 

rough twigs also of butchers n«xiguum coJiio. i\ec non etiam aspera rusci 



with the eldest daughter in mar- 
riage : and yet he gathered as much 
fruit as he did before. Afterwards 
he married the younger daughter, 
with another third for her portion ; 
and still found that his remaining 
third part produced as much as the 
whole had done : which could arise 
from no other cause, than that he 
was able to cultivate a third part 
better than the whole vineyard be- 
fore it was divided. " Idque non 
" solum ratione, sed etiam exemplo 
•' nobis idem Graecinus declarat eo 
" libro, quem de vineis scripsit, 
" cum refert ex patre suo saepe se 
" audire solitum Paridium quendam 
" Veterensem vicinum suum duas 
" filias, et vineis consitum habuisse 
" fundum, cujus partem tertiam 
" nubenti majori filiae dedisse in 
" dotem, ac nihilo minus aeque mag- 
" nos fructus ex duabus partibus 
" ejusdem fundi percipere solitum. 
w Minorem deinde filiam nuptui 
*■ collocasse in dimidia parte reliqui 
•* agri. Nee sic ex pristino reditu 
n detraxisse. Quod quid conjicit? 
* r nisi melius scilicet postea cultam 
*• esse tertiam illam fundi partem, 
•* quam antea universam." The 
same author mentions this precept 
of the poet with great commenda- 
tion, and says it was taken from a 
saying of one of the seven wise 
men, and that it was a proverb of 
the Carthaginians, that a jield might 
io be weaker than ike husbandman. 
He adds, that, after the expulsion 
of the kings, seven acres was the 
allowance to each person, from 
which they derived more profit, 
than they did in his time from 
large plantations : " Nos ad caetera 
" praecepta illud adjicimus, quod 
*' sapiens unus de septem in per- 
" petuum posteritati pronuntiavit, 



" ftirpv uprov, adhibendum modum 
" mensuramque rebus, idque ut non 
" solum aliud acturis, sed et agrum 
" paraturis dictum intelligatur, ne 
" majorem quam ratio calculorum 
" patiatur, emere velit : nam hue 
" pertinet praeclara nostri poeta? 
u sententia: 



Laudato ingentia rura, 



'* Exiguum colito. 

" Quod vir eruditissimus, ut mea 
" fert opinio, traditum vetus prse- 
" ceptum numeris signavit: quippe 
a acutissimam gentem Pcenos dixisse 
" convenit, Imbecilliorem agrum, 
" quam agricolam esse debere : quo- 
" niam cum sit colluctandum cum 
u eo, si fundus praevaleat, allidi do- 
" minum. Nee dubium quin minus 
" reddat laxus ager non recte cul- 
" tus, quam angustus eximie. Ideo- 
" que post reges exactos Liciniana 
" ilia septena jugera, quae plebis 
" tribunus viritim diviserat, majores 
" quaestus antiquis retulere, quam 
" nunc nobis praebent amplissima 
" vervacta." 

413. Aspera rusci vimina.~] We 
learn from Pliny that the rusciis is 
the same with the oxymyrsine : 
" Castor oxymyrsinen myrti foliis 
" acutis, ex qua flunt ruri scopae, 
" r u scum vocavit." Oxymyrsine 
signifies sharp-pointed myrtle; and 
is therefore the same with the xs»- 
Tge^yp p/v>j, or prickly myrtle of 
Theophrastus, to which he com- 
pares the Alexandrian laurel, on ac- 
count of the berries growing upon 
the leaves : "ih* 2i xxt rxh vt^l tjj* 
v l$Y)v Iriv, oiov tj n 'AXi^xvdptuc xxhov- 
fihn dctQvtij xxt crvKti rU *cu iipxtXf. 
t?$ fclv out ^as^yjjs h rovrm to 'Hiiti, cri 
iiri(PvXX6Kei£irov lew, wo-iri^ xxt n xtvrgo- 
fAvpfivq. aptyoTS^xt yxg rot XMgjro* i%w- 
<ra> ix tj»? fxyfiOK; r *v QvXhov. DlOSCO- 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



195 



Vimina per sylvam, et ripis fluvialis arundo 
Caeditur, ineultique exercet cura salicti. 415 
Jam vinctae vites : jam falcem arbusta reponunt; 
Jam canit extremos efFoetus vinitor antes: 
Sollicitanda tamen tellus, pulvisque movendus, 
Et jam maturis metuendus Jupiter uvis. 419 
Contra, non ulla est oleis cultura : neque illae 



broom must be cut in the 
woods, and the watery reed on 
the banks, nor must you neg- 
lect the uncultivated willows. 
Now the vines are tied, now 
the trees no longer require 
the hook; now the weary 
dresser sings about the utmost 
rows ; yet the earth must be 
turned up, and the dust stir- 
red, and Jupiter is to be feared, 
even When the grapes are 
quite ripe. On the contrary, 
the olives require no culture, 
nor do they 



rides plainly enough describes our 
butcher s broom under the name of 
ptv^Ttvn aypix, or wild myrtle. He 
says the leaves are like those of 
myrtle, but broader, pointed like a 
spear, and sharp. The fruit is 
round, growing on the middle of 
the leaf, red when ripe, and having 
a bony kernel. Many stalks rise 
from the same root, a cubit high, 
bending, hard to break, arid full of 
leaves. The root is like that of 
dog's grass, of a sour taste and bit- 
terish. It grows in wild and craggy 
places : Mt/g<r/v)j aygix to ph (pvXXov 
fiV£trivYi lyjn ofiaiov, zrXxTvn^ov 2s, Xoy- 
%oudi$, o£v in ctKgov. rov £s xxf>7rbv ?(>oy- 
yvXov, Iv (*t<ra> %i ra znroLXcp zn^Qiey, 
t(>v$gh iv rS ■zri7ro&t'vtT$xt, t^ovrx ra biros 
Waioit;. xXavt'x Xvycitciyi zroXXx be r*ig 
ft£ns xvrUg Dvtr^xv^x, ocrov srvi^zu^ (f>vX- 
Xeav f&trx' pt'^xv 7rx£X7r\Yi<rtxv dy^co^u, 
ytvopzvcp ?(>vQv}>v, V7ro7rtx£ov .... tyvirxi 
h T£x%i<ri roicotq xxi xQHpw'tinrt. The 
butcher's broom is so called, be- 
cause our butchers make use of it 
to sweep their stalls. It grows in 
woods and bushy places. In Italy 
they frequently make brooms of it. 
I suppose it was used to bind their 
vines in Virgil's time, by its being 
mentioned in this place. 

414. Sylvam.'] It is sylvas in the 
King's manuscript. 

416. Jam vinctce vites, &c.J He 
concludes this passage with shew- 
ing that the labour of cultivating 
vineyards is perpetual. He has al- 
ready mentioned a frequent digging 



of the ground; the summer and au- 
tumn pruning; and the tying of 
the vines. Now he observes, that 
when all this is performed, and the 
labour might seem to be ended 
with the vintage, yet the ground is 
still to be stirred and broken to 
dust; and that storms are to be 
feared even when the grapes are 
ripe. 

In the King's, and in one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts, it is junctcs in- 
stead of vinctce. 

417. Jam canit extremos effcetus 
vinitor antes.] It is effectos in the 
Bodleian, and effectus in one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts. Pierius says 
it is 

Jam canit effectos extremus vinitor antes 

in the Roman manuscript ; and ca- 
nit effcetus extremos in the Lombard, 
and in the Medicean manuscripts. 

420. Contra, non ulla est, &c/] 
Having shewed the great labour 
which attends the care of a vine- 
yard ; he now opposes the olive to 
it, which requires hardly any cul- 
ture. He says the same of other 
fruit trees, and mentions the wild 
plants, which are produced abun- 
dantly ; and thence he infers, that 
if nature affords us so many useful 
plants, we ought not to be back- 
ward in planting, and bestowing 
our own labour. 

In the Bodleian manuscript it is 
nonnulla, Servius mentions this read- 
ing. But it seems to be making 
2 C 2 



196 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



421 



£Krong e hm°ows d ; when* Procurvam expectant falcem, rastrosque te 

once they have taken root 

in the rie'ds, and stood naces 

the blasts. The earth itself 

affords sufficient moisture, Cum semel hagserunt arvis, aurasque tulerunt 

when it is opened with the 
hooked drag, 



Ipsa satis tellus, cum dente recluditur unco, 



the Poet guilty of a very poor ex- 
pression to say, Vines require a great 
deal of culture; but, on the contrary, 
olives require some. 

Virgil does not say in this pas- 
sage, that olives require no culture 
at all j but that they have no occa- 
sion for any, after they have once 
taken to the ground, and grown 
strong. They have no occasion for 
harrows, and pruning hooks; and 
need only a little breaking of the 
ground, and some ploughing. Co- 
lumella does not greatly differ from 
the Poet. He says no tree requires 
so much culture as the vine, or so 
little as the olive. " Omnis tamen 
" arboris cultus simplicior, quam 
" vinearum est, longeque ex omni- 
" bus stirpibus minorem impensam 
" desiderat olea, quae prima om- 
" nium arborum est, nam quamvis 
" non continuis annis, sed fere al- 
u tero quoque fructum afferat, exi- 
" mia tamen ejus ratio est, quod 
" levi cultu sustinetur, et cum se 
" non induit, vix ullam impensam 
"poscit: sed et siquam recipit, 
" subinde fructus multiplicat : neg- 
" lecta compluribus annis non ut 
" vinea deficit, eoque ipso tempore 
" aliquid etiam interim patrifami- 
" lias praestat, et cum adhibita cul- 
" tura est, uno anno emendatur." 

423. Ipsa satis tellus, &c] These 
two lines have been as variously in- 
terpreted as any passage in Virgil. 
Servius takes satis to mean the 
planted olives ; vomere to be put for 
per vomerem ; and fruges for corn. 
Thus according to him, the sense 
will be this : An olive-yard, when it 
is ploughed, affords both moisture to 



the planted olives, and yields corn 
also by means of the share. In this 
he is exactly followed by Grimoal- 
dus, except that he interprets dente 
linco a spade, and he paraphrases it 
thus : lf Olivetum, si ligone foditur, 
" ad oleas, cseterasque in eo satas 
<c arbores irrigandas aptum reddi- 
" tur, sin aratro quoque vertatur, 
*' non olivarium modo, sed frumen- 
" tarium etiam fieri poterit." May's 
translation is to the same purpose: 

The earth itselfe, when furrow'd by the 
plough, 

Doth food enough on her, and corne be- 
stow. 

La Cerda takes dente unco and vo- 
mere to be only two expressions for 
the plough-share : he contends that 
satis is the adverb, and that fruges 
means the fruit of the olives : "Nam 
<( tellus ipsa quocunque aratro, quo- 
" cunque vomere invertatur (adeo 
" non necessarii rastri) praebet hu- 
" morem, qui satis ad oleas. IUud 
" gravida? fruges sunt ipsissimse 

" oleae Male enim aliqui per 

"fruges capiunt frumenta. Male 
" etiam per vocem satis accipiunt 
" sata, cum hie sit adverbium." 
Ruaeus follows Servius as to satis, 
and Grimoaldus as to dente unco; 
but he gives quite a new interpre- 
tation of cum vomere : " Id est sta- 
" tim atque aperitur vomere, sine 
" mora, producit fructus. Exag- 
" geratio, qua? certum et celerem 
" proventiun indicat." Dr. Trapp 
approves of this new interpretation : 

The earth itself, when by the biting 

share 
Upturn'd, sufficient moisture will supply; 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



197 



Sufficit humorem, et gravidas cum vomere 

fruges : 
Hoc pinguem et placitam paci nutritor olivam. 
Poma quoque, ut primum truncos sensere va- 

lentes, 426 

Et vires liabuere suas, ad sidera raptim 
Vi propria nituntur, opisque haud indiga nostras. 
Nee minus interea fcetu nemus omne gravescit, 
Sanguineisque inculta rubent aviaria baccis. 430 
Tondentur cytisi ; taedas sylva alta ministrat, 



and weighty fruits when it is 
turned up with the share. 
Thus do thou nurse the fat 
and peaceful olive. Fruit- 
trees also as soon as they are 
ingrafted on strong trunks, 
and have acquired their pro- 
per strength, quickly shoot up 
to the stars, by their own 
force, and stand in no need 
of our help. At the same 
time all the forests bend with 
fruit, and the uncultivated 
habitations of birds glow with 
red berries. The Cytisus is 
cut, the tall wood afford* 
torches, 



And full fruit, with the labour of the plough 
Coeval. 

" For that," says he, " is the mean- 
44 ing of cum vomere. Hyperb. al- 
" most as soon as, fyc." As for sa- 
tis, I think the sense is much the 
same, whether we take it to be the 
noun or the adverb. Dente unco I 
take to mean the bidens or drag, 
spoken of before, which is used in 
the culture of olives, according to 
Columella, to break and loosen the 
ground, that the sun may not pierce 
through the chinks, and hurt the 
roots : " Sed id minime bis anno* 
" arari debet, et bidentibus alte cir- 
" cumfodiri. Nam post solstitium 
" cum terra aestibus hiat, curandum 
" est, ne per rimas sol ad radices 
" arborum penetret." I do not find 
that it was usual to sow corn 
amongst the olives, but ploughing 
the ground was universally thought 
to increase their product : therefore 
I agree with La Cerda, that fruges 
means the fruits of the olive, and 
not corn. I take the sense of these 
lines to be this ; " If you break the 
" ground with drags, it will keep 
* f the sun from drying the roots, 
" and the earth, being loosened, 
" will let as much moisture soak to 
" them as is sufficient : and if you 
" plough the ground you will have 
" a greater crop of olives." Mr. 



has translated it in this 



The earth herself the plants supplies 

with juice, 
If crooked teeth once make her surface 

loose : 
But floods of oil from swelling berries 

flow, 
If ploughs unlock her richer soil below. 

Dryden has taken no notice of dente 
unco in his translation: 

The soil itself due nourishment supplies; 
Plough but the furrows, and the fruits 
arise. 

425. Hoc] Hoc seems to relate 

to vomere, as Mr. B observes : 

it is usually interpreted propter hoc. 

426. Poma.'] I take this to belong 
to fruit-trees in general. Colu- 
mella, in his chapter De arboribus 
pomiferis, speaks of figs, pome- 
granates, apples, pears, mulberries, 
and several other sorts of fruits. 
The poet says they require no care 
but ingrafting ; for that is the sense 
of truncos sensere valentes. Ad si- 
dera raptim vi propria nituntur is 
much the same expression as 

Exiit in calum ramis felicibus arbos. 

429. Nee minus, fyc] Here he 
speaks of wild trees, which grow 
in the woods. 

431. Tondentur cytisi.] A consi- 
derable number of different plants 



98 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



f^aSls^SSThiir^ght! 16 Pascunturque ignes nocturni, et lumina fun- 
dunt. 



have been supposed by different 
authors to be the cytisus here spoken 
of: but the Cytisus Maranthce is 
generally allowed to be the plant. 
We can gather nothing certain from 
what Virgil has said about it. He 
mentions goats as being very fond 
of it, in the first Eclogue : 

. Non me pascente capells 
Florentem cytisum, et salices carpetis 



And in the second : 

Torva leaena lupum sequitur, lupus ipse 

capellam : 
Florentem cytisum sequitur lasciva ca- 

pella : 
Te Corydon, o Alexi : 

which seems to be an imitation of 
the following lines, in the tenth 
Idyllium of Theocritus : 

"A a/| rov xutio-ov, o Xvxo$ rav tuya owxu, 
"A yigavos reagorgo*, tyat V W) riv fiifzd- 
vy/zxt. 

The Greek Poet also mentions the 
goats as eating cytisus, in the fifth 
Idyllium : 

Tai ft\v iftai xvriffov rt xmi alytXot aiytt 

In the ninth Eclogue the cytisus is 
mentioned as increasing milk : 

Sic cytiso pastae distentent ubera vaccae : 

And in the third Georgick : 

At cui lactis amor, cytisum, lotosque 

frequentes 
Ipse manu, salsasque ferat praesepibus 

herbas. 

In the tenth Eclogue it is spoken 
of as grateful to bees : 

Nee lacrymis crudelis amor, nee grdmina 
rivis, 



Nee cytiso saturantur apes, nee fronde 
capellae. 

From these passages we collect, 
that the cytisus was grateful to bees 
and goats, and productive of milk; 
but nothing with regard to the 
description of the plant itself. Let 
us examine now, what Theophras- 
tus has said of it, which is very 
little. In the ninth chapter of the 
first book of his History of Plants, 
he says the wood of the cytisus is 
hard and thick : AtxQ'^ovo-i & xxi rx7g 
ff.iirqot.ii; .... tovtwv %\ irt crxXn^on^xi 

XXI ■ZS-VXVOTtgXl, XPXHXg, 7T(>lV0Vj 0(>vog, 

xvrirov, <rvxxplvM, IZ'zvov, Xurov. He 
says the same in the fourth chap- 
ter of the fifth book, and adds, that 
it comes nearest to ebony : vvxvotxtx 

uiv ovv doxi7 xxt (ZxevrxTX 7rviog utxi 
xxi tvivog' ovoz yxQ ski rov voxrog rxvr 
hetm, xxt *> ph zrv%og dXn. rtig 21 iSgvat/ 

Yi UVTgX h Yj XXI *) 70V ^COfAXTOg If l fli- 

Xxvix. rcSv ci' xXXav o Xonog' -zrvxvov dl 
xxt Yi Tijg d(>vog f*vri>x, qv xxXovtri wXxf- 
dgvov xxt 'in fcecXXov t) tov xvria-ov' 
7rcc(>oiioiX. y«g xvm 2oxi7 77} g€s»» ItlXl. 

This hardness, like ebony, agrees 
very well with the Cytisus Maran- 
thce, when the plant is grown old ; 
for the Turks make the handles of 
their sabres of it, and the monks 
of Patmos their beads. In the 
twentieth chapter of the fourth book 
he says it kills most other plants, 
but that it is itself destroyed by 
the Halimus: XxXinog Tixx\ o xvrnrcg, 

XTTOXXVFl yXQ 7TXT>y 0)g U7Ti7)l. 'kVfcVpU 

tspov 21 rovrov ro ecXtpov, xttoXXvg-i y«g 
tov xvriercv. It may destroy other 
plants by drawing away the nou- 
rishment from them. Dioscorides 
says it is a white shrub, like the 
Rhamnus, with branches a cubit 
long or longer, clothed with leaves 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



199 



Et dubitant homines serere, atque impendere ffiflS^bSSSSiSSJ 

o Why should I speak of greater 

CUralll f things r willows, and humble 

_ . . . _ .. . .. hroom afford either browze for 

Quid majora sequarr sauces, humilesque ge- thecattie, 
nistae, 



like those of fenugreek, or birds- 
foot trefoil, only less, and having a 
larger rib. When they are rubbed 
with the fingers, they smell like 
rocket, and have a taste like green 

chiches : KvTicerog Sccftvos Wi tevKog 
•Aoj uq jixuvog. K^xdovg ocvteig rni%vett- 
ov$ xx$ ftiifyvccg' Trip) ovg rx QvXXx, 
ofAotec riiXidi, n Xura TfftQvXXat, (aik^otiqx 
$i kxi $ec%i9 %%ovrx piu'^ovx' iv n ra elix- 
Tg&WXt To7$ $XKTVX0l$ o^ovrx iv£apov. 
Iv 21 ry yivcru opotx lf>i&tv$ots %\c*f>o7f. 
This also agrees with the Cytisus 
Maranthce : for the leaves are tri- 
foliated, and smell very like rocket, 
especially about Naples, and the 
plant is very hoary in its native 
soil. Columella speaks only of the 
use of it, as an excellent fodder, 
causing abundance of milk, and 
being useful also to hens and bees. 
Pliny tells us, that Amphilochus 
wrote a whole book about the me- 
dica, and the cytisus : " Unum de 
" ea, et cytiso volumen Amphilo- 
" chus fecit confusim." He says it 
is a shrub, and greatly commended 
by Aristomachus, the Athenian, as 
a good fodder : " Frutex est et cy- 
tc tisus, ab Aristomacho Atheniensi 
" miris laudibus praedicatus pabulo 
«' ovium, aridus vero etiam suum." 
Then he enlarges upon the uses of 
it in increasing milk, and says it is 
hoary, and has the appearance of 
a shrubby trefoil, with narrower 
leaves : " Cahus aspectu, breviter- 
" que siquis exprimere similitudi- 
" nem velit, angustioris trifolii fru- 
" tex." The Cytisus Maranthce is 
the Cytisus incanus, siliquis falcatis 
of C. Bauhin, and the Medicago 
trifolia, frutescens, incanaof Tourne- 
fort. 



May translates cytisi, low shrubs, 
and Dryden, vile shrubs are shorn 
for browze : but the cytisus was so 
far from being accounted a vile 
shrub, that it was in the highest 
esteem amongst the ancients. Mr. 

B paraphrases these two words, 

tondentur cytisi : 

The Cytisus, with constant verdure 

crown'd 
Oft feels the hook, and shoots at ev'ry 

wound. 

Tcedas sylva alia minislrat.] 
Torches were made of any combus- 
tible wood. Pliny mentions a sort 
of pine or fir, under the name of 
tceda, which was chiefly made use 
of at sacrifices : " Sextum genus est 
" taeda proprie dicta : abundantior 
" succo quam reliqua, parcior liqui- 
ff diorque quam picea, flammis ac 
" lumini sacrorum etiam grata." 

432. Pascunturque ignes nocturni.] 
In one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts 
it is Pascuntur nocturni ignes. 

4:33. Et dubitant homines serere 
atque impendere curam.] Fulvius 
Ursinus says this whole verse is 
wanting in the old Colotian manu- 
script. 

It is curas in some editions. 

434. Quid majora sequarJ] Here 
he speaks of the great use of several 
sorts of trees ; and concludes with 
giving them the preference to the 
vine. 

Humilesque genistce.'] Mr. B— 

translates genistce, furze, and says 
he has taken the liberty to para- 
phrase a little upon genista?, sepem- 
que satis et pabula melli sufficiunt, 
because he has seen so much of 
the use of that plant in both these 
respects : 



200 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



ZtmS f« the ep Ss S ; Aut illae pecori frondem, aut pastoribus urn- 

and food for bees. It is de- , 

bras 435 



lightful to behold Cytorus 
waving with box, 



Sufficiunt ; sepemque satis, et pabula melli. 
Et juvat undantem buxo spectare Cytorum, 



The willow, and the furze, an humble 
plant 

To husbandmen afford no trivial aid ; 

That to the sheep gives food, to shep- 
herds shade : 
. This covers with strong lines the wealthy 
fields, 

And early fother to the bee-fold yields. 

It is certain that furze is frequently 
' used as a fence, and the flowers 
are sought after by the bees: but 
it is no less certain that the furze 
was never called genista by any 
ancient Latin writer. See the note 
on lentceque genista? , ver. 12. 

435. Aut illce.] Servius says 
many read et tilice. 

Umbras.] So I read with Hein- 
sius. Pierius says it is umbras in 
all the ancient manuscripts. I find 
it so in all those which I have col- 
lated. La Cerda, Ruaeus, and se- 
veral other editors have umbram. 

437. Undantem buxo Cytorum.~\ 
Servius says Cytorus is a mountain 
of Macedonia: but, according to 
Pliny, it belongs to Paphlagonia: 
" Ultra quern gens Paphlagonia, 
" quam Pylaemeniam aliqui dixe- 
" runt, inclusam a tergo Galatia. 
" Oppidum Mastya Milesiorum, 
" deinde Cromna. Quo loco He- 
lc netos adjicit Nepos Cornelius, a 
" quibus in Italia ortos cognomines 
" eorum Venetos credi postulat. 
" Sesamum oppidum, quod nunc 
" Amastris. Mons Cytorus, a Tio 
" lxiii M. pass/' Ruaeus says it is 
a city and mountain of Galatia, on 
the borders of Paphlagonia. Strabo 
indeed speaks of a city of that 
name, but he places it in Paphla- 
gonia, and neither he, nor Pliny, 
mention either a town or moun- 



tain of that name in their accounts 
of Galatia. Cytorus was very fa- 
mous for box. Thus Theophrastus : 

H oz irv^os (tiy'&u (a\v tv fAiyoiXq. ro 2$ 

QvXXov OfttlOV 'i%il flvpQLVU. QviTui 3' i» 
to7? "^v^oTg T07roi<; kcc} T£et%jl<rt. xaii yol(> 
roi Kvra^a, roiovrov, ov sj kMi'tyi ymreti. 
He immediately adds that Olympus 
of Macedonia is cold, for it grows 
there also, though not very large, 
but the largest and fairest trees of 
it are in Cyrene : tyv%i*s ^ • "OAvft- 

nos MoiKtoovutos, Kxi yccg ivTxu&ec yi- 
vovroii. ttXviv ov piyxXoi. ftiyiroi 21 Kott 

xoiwtroi iv Kvgjjv*!. Perhaps Servius 
read this passage negligently, and 
finding Macedonia mentioned, put 
down Cytorus, as a mountain of 
that country. Pliny says box grows 
in great plenty on the Fyrenean 
hills, and on Cytorus, and on Be- 
recynthus : u , Buxus Pyrenaeis, a 
" Cytoro montibus plurima, ac Be- 
" recynthio tractu." La Cerda 
thinks we should read Cyrenais or 
Cyrenis, in Pliny, instead of Pyre- 
nceis, according to the last quotation 
from Theophrastus. But Robert 
Constantine, and other learned cri- 
tics think xvgm is an error in the 
copies of Theophrastus, and that it 
should be xv^vot, Corsica. It is cer- 
tain, that Pliny uses Corsica, where 
the editions of Theophrastus have 
xi/g«v*i : " Crassissima in Corsica . . • 
" Haec in Olympo Macedonia? gra- 
" cilior, sed brevis." And besides 
it is not probable, that Theophras- 
tus, after he had said the box flou- 
rished most in cold places, would 
say that it grew fairest and strong- 
est m Cyrene, a country of the 
scorching Lybia. 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



201 



Naryciseque picis lucos : juvat arva viderc 
Non rastris, hominum non ulli obnoxia curae. 
Ipsae Caucaseo steriles in vertice sylvae, 440 
Quas animosi Euri assidue franguntque ferunt- 

que, 
Dant alios alias fetus : dant utile lignum 
Navigiis pinos, domibus cedrumque cupressos- 

que. 



and the groves of Narycian 
pitch ; it is delightful to see 
fields that are not obliged to 
harrows, or any care ofmen. 
Even the barren woods on the 
top of Caucasus, which the 
strong east winds continually 
tear and rend, give each of 
them their different produce ; 
jjive pines for ships, and ce- 
dars and cypresses for house*. 



438. Naryciceque picis lucos.'] Na- 
ryx or Narycium was a city of the 
Locrians, in that part of Italy, 
which is over-against Greece. They 
are mentioned in the third iEneid, 
where Helenus, who reigned in 
Epirus, advises iEneas to avoid that 
part of Italy, which is washed by 
the Ionian sea : 

Has autem terras, Italique hanc littoris 

oram 
Effuge : cuncta malis habitantur moenia 

Graiis. 
Hie et Narycii posuerunt moenia Locri. 
Let not thy course to that ill coastle lent, 
Which fronts from far th y Epirian conti- 
nent ; 
Those parts are all ly Grecian foes pos- 
sessed : 
Narycian Locrians here the shores infest. 
Dryden. 
Servius reads Maricice. 

439- Non rastris, hominum non 
ulli obnoxia curce.~\ Almost all the 
editors point this verse thus : 

Non rastris hominum, non ulli obnoxia 
curse, 

which is very strange. Fields not 
obliged to harrows of men, or to any 

care. Mr. B is the first who 

places the comma after rastris, 
which must certainly be the right 
pointing. In one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts we read non nulli. 

440. Caucaseo.'] Caucasus is a 
famous ridge of mountains running 
from the Black Sea to the Caspian. 
Strabo says it abounds with all sorts 
of trees, especially those which are 



used in building ships : Evhv^^ov 3' 



VCtV7TtiyYI<rtfAf. 

443. Cedrumque cupressosque.] 
Pierius found it thus in the Roman, 
the Medicean, and other very an- 
cient manuscripts : but he says it is 
cupressos in the Lombard manu- 
script, without que, which he takes 
to be an error of the transcriber. 
In both the Arundelian manuscripts 
it is cedrumque cupressumque. In 
the King's and in one of Dr. Mead's 
it is cedrumque cupressosque. In the 
Bodleian, and in the other manu- 
script of Dr. Mead's it is cedrumque 
cupressos. In the Cambridge manu- 
script it is cedrosque cupressosque. 
Heinsius reads cedrumque cupressos- 
que: Grimoaldus, La Cerda, and 
Ruaeus cedrosque cupressosque: and 
Masvicius cedrumque cupressumque. 
Most of the editions, which are 
not here excepted, have cedrosque 
cupressosque. 

It is much to be questioned, whe- 
ther the cedar here spoken of is 
that which is so frequently men- 
tioned in the Scriptures ; for that 
has not been observed any where 
but on mount Lebanon. It seems 
to have been but little known by 
the Greek and Roman writers. 
Theophrastus seems to speak of it 
in the ninth chapter of the fifth 
book of his History of Plants; 
where he says the cedars grow to 
a great bigness in Syria, so large 
2 D 



202 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



Hence the husbandmen have 
formed spokes for their 
wheels, and coverings for 
their waggons, and' have 
fitted crooked keels to ships. 
The willows abound with 
twigs, the elms with leaves : 
but the myrtle with strong 
spears, and the cornel is use- 
ful in war ; the yews are bent 
into Ityrean bows ; 



Hinc radios trivere rotis, hinc tympana plaustris 
Agricolae, et pandas ratibus posuere carinas. 445 
Viminibus salices foecundae, frondibus ulmi : 
At myrtis validis hastilibus, et bona bello 
Cornus : Ityraeos taxi torquentur in arcus. 



that three men cannot encompass 
them : 'Exxm ol t?$ vtos, ourm^ xxi 
■arpoTipov Ixift&ij, ^ixtp'igu xxrx tov$ to- 
Trovg. zv$x fth y«g Xarog, h$x £e Ks- 
<j(>6<; yinrxi S-xvpxrh, xx^xm^ xxi -nip) 
Hvfftccv. 'Ev Y.vpici yx(> 'ivn roTs cpivi 
(tixtyipovrx yinrxi tx oha^x tvis xibptv 
xxi rS v^/ii xxi t£> -srdftiL' tviXixxvtx 
ycc^ WiV, a? '(vix pit p&h aiivxorS-xt vpu<i 

xvhpxs -mgiXupOxvuv. These large 
Syrian trees are probably the ce- 
dars of Lebanon, which I believe 
Theophrastus had only heard of, 
and took to be the same with the 
Lycian cedars, only larger : for in 
the twelfth chapter of the third 
book, where he describes the cedar 
particularly, he says the leaves are 
like those of Juniper, but more 
prickly : and adds that the berries 
are much alike. Therefore the ce- 
dar described by Theophrastus can- 
not be that of Lebanon, which 
bears cones, and not berries. I 
take it rather to be a sort of Juni- 
per, which is called Juniperus major 
bacca rufescente by Caspar Bauhin, 
Oxycedrus by Parkinson, and Oxy- 
cedrus Phcenicea by Gerard. What 
Pliny and Dioscorides have said of 
the cedar is very confused. 

446. Viminibus salices fcecundce.~] 
The twigs of the willows are used 
to bind the vines, and to make all 
sorts of wicker works. 

Frondibus ulmi.} The cattle were 
fed with leaves of elms. Thus Co- 
lumella : " Est autem ulmus longe 
" laetior et procerior, quam nostras, 
" frondemque jucundiorem bubus 
" prapbet: qua cum assidue pecus 
'- { alueris, et postea generis alterius 



" frondem dare institueris, fastidi- 
" urn bubus affert." This use of elm 
leaves is confirmed by Mr. Evelyn, 
who says, " The use of the very 
" leaves of this tree, especially of 
" the female, is not to be despised ; 
" for being suffered to dry in the 
" sun upon the branches, and the 
" spray stripped off about the de- 
" crease in August (as also where 
" the suckers and stolones are su- 
<c pernumerary, and hinder the 
" thriving of their nurses) they will 
" prove a great relief to cattle in 
" winter, and scorching summers, 
" when hay and fodder is dear they 
" will eat them before oats, and 
" thrive exceedingly well with 
" them ; remember only to lay 
<c your boughs up in some dry and 
" sweet corner of your barn. It 
" was for this the Poet praised 
" them, and the epithet was ad- 
" vised, Fruitful in leaves the elm. 
" In some parts of Herefordshire 
" they gather them in sacks for 
" their swine and other cattle, ac- 
" cording to this husbandry." 

447. Myrtus validis hastilibus, et 
bona bello cornus.] Their spears and 
darts were anciently made of myr- 
tle and cornel: but Pliny prefers 
the ash for these uses : " Obedien- 
" tissima quocunque in opere fraxi- 
" nus, eademque hastis corylo me- 
" lior, corno levior, sorbo lentior." 

In one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts 
it is at bona bello cornus. 

448. Ityrceos taxi torquentur in 
arcus.] The Ityrtei or Iturai were 
a people of Ccele Syria, famous for 
shooting with a bow. 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



203 



Nee tiliee laeves, aut torno rasile buxum 4-49 
Non formam accipiunt, ferroque cavantur acuto. 
Nee non et torrentem undam levis innatat alnus 
Missa Pado: nee non et apes examina condunt 
Corticibusque cavis, vitiosseque illicis alveo. 
Quid memorandum aeque Bacchei'a dona tu- 
lerunt ? 454 



the smooth limes also, and 
the turner s box are shaped, 
and hollowed with sharp 
tools. The liaht alder swims 
also on the rough flood, when 
it is launched on the Po ; and 
bees conceal their young in 
hollow barks, and in the body 
of a rotten holm-oak. Wha't 
have the gifts of Bacchus 
produced in comparison of 
these ? 



Pierius says that in some ancient 
manuscripts it is curvantur instead 
of torquentur. Servius, and some 
of the old editors, and Schrevelius 
have curvantur* 

449. Tilice Iceves.] Pliny says 
mollissima tilia, and tilice. ad mille 
usus petendce. 

Torno rasile buxum.] Box is well 
known to he turned into a great 
variety of utensils. 

451. Alnus.] See the note on 
ver. 136. of the first Georgick. 

452. Missa Pado.] The Po is a 
famous river of Italy. Alders are 
said to grow in abundance on its 
banks. 

453. Ilicis.] Mr. Evelyn asserts, 
that the Esculus of the ancients was 
a species of Ilex: " The acorns of 
" the coccigera, or dwarf-oak, yield 
" excellent nourishment for rustics, 
" sweet, and little, if at all, inferior 
" to the chesnut, and this, and not 
" the fagus, was doubtless the true 
" Esculus of the ancients, the food 
" of the golden age." But it is 
plain, that the very tree of which 
this learned gentleman speaks, was 
called Ilex by Pliny, for this author 
says expressly that the Ilex bears 
the coccus or chermes berry : " Om- 
" nes tamen has ejus dotes ilex solo 
" provocat cocco." The same au- 
thor says the leaves of the Esculus 
are sinuated, whereas those of the 
Ilex are not sinuated : " Folia prae- 
" ter ilicem gravia, carnosa, pro- 



*' cera, sinuosa lateribus." Besides 
the very name of dwarf-oak shews 
this sort of Ilex cannot be the an- 
cient Esculus, which is described as 
a very large tree. Mr. Evelyn seems 
to have thought the dwarf-oak or 
scarlet-oak to be the Esculus, be- 
cause its acorns are so good to eat : 
but this is no good proof neither : 
for Pliny says the acorns of the Es- 
culus are inferior to those of the 
common oak: "Glans optima in 
e: quercu atque grandissima, mox 
" esculo." 

Alveo.] Servius reads alvo. Pie- 
rius found alveo in the Roman ma- 
nuscript, with which he was greatly 
delighted : " In Romano codice le- 
" gitur alveo, quod mirifice placet." 
Alveo is now generally received. 

454. Quid memorandum ceque, &c] 
Having spoken of the great uses of 
forest trees, he falls into an excla- 
mation against the vine, which is 
not only less useful than those trees 
which nature bestows on us with- 
out our care ; but is also the cause 
of quarrels and murders. He pro- 
duces a noted instance of the quar- 
rel between the Centaurs and La- 
pithae. Ovid has described it at 
large in the twelfth book of the 
Metamorphosis. Pirithou9, king 
of the Lapithaei had married Hip- 
podamia. At these nuptials Eury- 
tus, a Centaur, being inflamed 
with lust and wine, attempted to 
ravish the bride : which example 
2 D 2 



204 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



don^crlmes^h^vcrSme" Bacchus etadculpam causasdedit: ille furentes 

the Centaurs raging with mur- ^ , . .. . 

der Rhoetus, phoius, and Centauros letho dorauit, Rhoetumque Pho 

Hylaeus threatening the La- " 

piths with a huge goblet. 



lumque, 
Et magno Hylaeum Lapithis cratere minantem. 



was followed by the rest, who en- 
deavoured each to seize upon such 
young ladies as they chose. The- 
seus rising in defence of the bride 
slew Eurytus, and, the other guests 
assisting, all the Centaurs were 
either slain or put to flight. 

455. Culpam."] In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is culpas. 

Furentes Centauros letho domuit.'] 
" This passage is generally ex- 
" plained by joining letho with do- 
<e muit. But it seems to me that 
" it should be joined with furentes, 
i{ as it is said fur ens ira, invidia, 
" atnore, &c. and as Virgil himself 
° says in the second iEneid : 



Vidi ipse fur entem 



" Ccede Neoptolemum. 

t( And then the meaning is, dornuit, 
" he overcame, in the common sense, 
" as wine is said to overcome any 
" one, and made them mad to death. 
" In the other sense Virgil would 
<( contradict what he said before. 
" Bacchus et ad culpam causas dedit. 
" How would Bacchus have been 
" to blame, for having punished 
" with death profligate wretches 
" that would have ravished the 
" bride from her husband ? This 
" was a just, and not a blameable 
" action, but his blame was his 
" overcoming their reason, and ex- 
" citing them to that outrage." 

Mr. B . 

We find in Virgil sternere letho 
and dejicere letho, and therefore I 
do not doubt but domare letho 
might be used. But what seems 
to me the strongest confirmation of 
Mr. B 's opinion, is that we find 



in Ovid, that neither Rhcetus nor 
Phoius were slain, but that they 
both fled : , 

— — Assidue successu caedis ovantem, 
Qua juncta est humero cervix, sude figis 

obusta. 
Ingemuit, duroque sudem vix osse re- 

vellit 
Rhoetus ; et ipse suo madefactus sanguine 

fugit. 
Fugit et Orneus, Lycabasque, et saucius 

armo 
Dexteriore Medon et cum Pisenore 

Thaumas : 
Quique pedum nuper certamine vicerat 

omnes 
Mermeros ; accepto nunc vulnere tardius 

ibat: 
Et Pfwlus, et Melaneus, et Abas preda- 
tor aprorum. 

For through his shoulder, 'who had tri- 

umpJCd long 
In daily slaughter, Bryasfix'd his prong, 
Who groning, tugs it out with all hit 

might : 
And soiVd with Mood, converts his heels to 

flight. 
So Lycidas, Arnceus, Medon {sped 
In his right arme) Pisenor, Caumas fled : 
Wound-tardy Mermerus, late swift of 

pace : 
Meneleus, Phoius, Abas, us*d to chase 
The bore. 

Sandys. 

457. Cratere minantem.'] Ovid 
tells us they began to fight with 
drinking vessels, which is not un- 
usual in drunken quarrels : 

Forte fuit juxta signis extantibus asper 
Antiquus crater, quern vastum vastior 

ipse 
Sustulit iEgidesj adversaque misit in 

ora. 
Hard by there stood an antique goblet, 

wrought 
With extant figures : this AZgides caught ,- 
HurVd at the face of Eurytus. 

Sandy*. 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



205 



O fortunatos nimium, sua si bona norint, 
Agricolas ! quibus ipsa, procul discordibus armis, 
Fundit humo facilem victum justissima tellus. 
Si non ingentem foribus domus alta superbis 
Mane sal utan turn totis vomit aedibus undam; 
Nee varios inhiant pulchra testudine postes, 
Illusasque auro vestes, Ephyreiaque aera ; 
Alba neque Assyrio fuscatur lana veneno, 465 



O too happy husbandmen, did 
they but know their own fe- 
licity ! to whom the earth 
herself, far from contending 
arms, most justly pours forth 
an easy sustenance. If they 
have no lofty palace with 
proud gates, to vomit forth 
from every part a vast tide of 
morning visitors ; if they do 
not gape after pillars adorned 
with tortoiseshell, or gar- 
mentsembroideredwith go'd, 
or Corinthian brass ; if their 
white wool is not sullied with 
Assyrian dye, 



And 

Vina dabant animos : et prima pocula 

pugna 
Missa volant, fragilesque cadi, curvique 

lebetes : 
Res epulis quondam, nunc bello et cae- 

dibus aptas. 
Wine courage gives. At first an uncouth 

flight 
Of flaggons, pots, and bowls, began the 

fight: 
Late fit for banquets, now for blood and 
broils. 

Sandys. 

458. O fortunatos, &c] The Poet, 
having just mentioned a scene of 
war and confusion, changes the 
subject to a wonderfully beautiful 
description of the innocent and 
peaceful pleasures of a country 
life. He begins with shewing, that 
the pomp and splendor of courts 
and cities are neither to be met 
with in the country, nor in them- 
selves desirable. He then proceeds 
to mention the real satisfactions 
which are to be found in the coun- 
try : quiet, integrity, plenty, diver- 
sions, exercise, piety, and religion. 

Cicero, in his defence of Sextus 
Roscius, says that all sorts of wick- 
edness proceed from the luxury of 
cities 5 but that the country life is 
the mistress of frugality, diligence, 
and justice: << In urbe luxuries 
" creatur: ex luxuria existat avari- 
" tia necesse est : ex avaritia erum- 
" pat audacia : inde omnia scelera, 
£t ac maleficia gignuntur. Vita au- 



" tem haec rustica, quam tu agres- 
iC tem vocas, parsimoniae, diligen- 
" tiee, justitiae magistra est." 

462. Mane salutantum,] It was 
the custom amongst the Romans, 
for the clients to attend the levees 
of their patrons. 

Totisr\ In the King's manu- 
script it is notis. 

Vomit.] Pierius says, that in the 
Medicean manuscript it is vomat, 
which he thinks sounds more ele- 
gantly. 

463. Testudine.] Some think 
that testudine is here used for an 
arch supported by the pillars, or 
the shell of a door. But I rather 
believe it alludes to that custom of 
the rich Romans, of covering their 
bed -posts and other parts of their fur- 
niture with plates of tortoiseshell. 

464. Illusas.] In the Cambridge 
and Bodleian manuscripts it is in- 
clusas. Pierius says it is inclusas in 
some manuscripts, but illusas in 
the most ancient. .Servius takes 
notice, that some read inclusas ; but 
he condemns it. 

Ephyreiaque cera.~) Corinth is 
sometimes called Ephyre, from 
Ephyre, the daughter of Epime- 
theus. It is well known that the 
Corinthian brass was very famous 
amongst the ancients. 

465. Neque.] Servius and some 
others read nee. Pierius says it is 
neque in the Medicean and some 
other ancient manuscripts. 



206 



P. VIRG1LII MARONIS 



nor the use of the pure oil 
tainted with perfumes; yet 
there is no want of secure 
rest, and a life ignorant of 
fraud, and rich in various 
works ; nor of ease in large 
farms, caves and living lakes; 
nor of cool valleys, and the 
rowing of oxen, and soft 
sleep under trees. There are 
lawns, and habitations of wild 
beasts, and a vouth patient 
of labour, and contented with 
a little, altars of gods, and ho- 
noured parents : 



Nec casia liquidi corrumpitur usus olivi; 
At secura quies, et nescia fall ere vita, 
Dives opum variarum : at latis otia fundis, 
Spelimcae, vivique lacus : at frigida Tempe, 469 
Mugitusque bourn, mollesque sub arbore somni 
Non absunt. Illic saltus, ac lustra feramm, 
Et patiens operum, exiguoque assueta juvenlus, 
Sacra deum, sanctiquepatres : extrema perillos 



Assyrio veneno.] He means the 
Tyrian purple, which was obtained 
from a sort of shell-fish. Tyre was 
in Coele Syria. The Poet seems to 
use Assyria for Syria. 

Fuscatur.] So I read with the 
King's, one of the Arundelian, both 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts, and Hein- 
sius. The common reading is fu- 
catur, which signifies barley is 
coloured : but fuscatur signifies is 
obscured, imbrowned, or sullied, 
which I take to be the Poet's 
meaning. He shews his contempt 
of spoiling the native whiteness of 
wool with that expensive colour 3 
as, in the next verse, he speaks of 
the pure oil being tainted with per- 
fumes. 

466. Casia.'] See the note on 
ver. 213. 

467. At secura quies.] Pierius 
says it is ac in the Lombard manu- 
script. But surely the Poet wrote 
at : for he is here opposing the 
real, innocent, untainted pleasures 
of a country life to the noise and 
luxury of courts and cities. 

Nescia falter e vita.] Pierius says 
it is vitam in the Roman manu- 
script, which must make nescia 
agree with quies, but it is vita in all 
the rest, which is better. 

468. At.] It is ac in the King's 
manuscript. Pierius also found ac. 

469. At.] Here again it is ac in 
the Lombard manuscript, according 
to Pierius. I find ac also in the 



King's and both Dr. Mead's ma- 
nuscripts : but at seems to be 
much better in all these places. 

Frigida Tempe.] Tempe is the 
name of a very pleasant valley in 
Thessaly. Hence it is not unusual 
to find Tempe used by the poets 
for any pleasant place though not 
in Thessaly. Thus I take it to be 
used in this place for cool valleys in 
general. 

471. Illic) It is illis in the 
Cambridge manuscript, and in some 
printed editions. Pierius says it is 
illic in all the ancient manuscripts 
he had seen. 

Saltus.] Saltus properly signifies 
open places in the midst of woods, 
which afford room for cattle to 
feed. Thus we have in the third 
Georgick : 

Saltibus in vacuis pascunt; 
Lustra ferarum.] By the habi- 
tations of dens or wild beasts the 
Poet means the diversion of hunt- 
ing : Thus May : 

And pleasant huntings want not. 

472. Exiguo.] Pierius says it is - 
exiguo in the Roman manuscript: 
Heinsius and Masvicius also read 
exiguo. The common reading is 






parvo. 

473. Sanctique patres.] By these 
words the Poet designs to express, 
that amongst the uncorrupted coun- 
trymen their fathers are treated with 
reverence. Thus Mr. B 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



so: 



Justitia excedens terris vestigia fecit. 
Me vero primum dulces ante omnia Musae, 475 
Quarum sacra fero ingenti percussus amore, 
Accipiant; caelique vias, et sidera monstrent : 
Defectus solis varios, lunaeque labores : 
Unde tremor terris : qua vi maria alta tumescant 
Objicibus ruptis, rursusque in se ipsaresidant : 
Quid tantum Oceano properent se tingere soles 
Hyberni,vel quaetardismoranoctibusobstet.482 
Sin, has ne possim naturae accedere partes, 
Frigid us obstiterit circum praecordia sanguis; 
Rura mihi et rigui placeant in vallibus amnes ; 
Flumina araem, svlvasque inglorius : O ! ubi 



when justice left the earth, 
she took her last step from 
amongst these people. But 
in the first place, above all 
thing*, may the sweet Muse*, 
whose priest 1 am, being smit- 
ten with great love of poesy, 
receive me, and shew me the 
paths of heaven, and the stars, 
the various eclipses of the sun, 
and labours of the moon: 
what causes the earth to trem- 
ble ; by what force the deep 
seas swell, and break their 
banks, and then again fall 
back ; why the winter suns 
make such haste to dip them- 
selves in the ocean : or what 
delay retards the slow nights-. 
But if the chill blood about 
my heart hinders mc from 
attaining to these parts of na- 
ture ; may fields and streams 
gliding in valleys delight me ; 
may I love rivers and woods 
inglorious ; oh ! where there 
are plains, 



campi. 



486 



And aged sires rever'd. 

I have chosen to make use of the 
word honoured, because, in our reli- 
gion, this duty to parents is styled 
honour. 

Extrema per illos Justitia excedens 
terris vestigia fecit.] In the Cam- 
bridge manuscript it isjigit. 

Astraea or Justice was feigned by 
the poets to have descended from 
heaven in the golden age. She 
continued upon earth till the wick- 
edness of the brazen age gave her 
such offence, that she left mankind 
and flew up to heaven. Aratus 
says, she retired first from cities, 
into the country, so that this was 
the last place she left. The Greek 
Poet speaks largely on this subject. 
475. Me vero primum, &c] The 
Poet here declares his natural in- 
clination to be towards philoso- 
phy and poetry. He declares him- 
self to be the priest of the Muses ; 
I and prays them to instruct him in 
I astronomy: to teach him the causes 
': of eclipses, earthquakes, the ^flux 
! and re Mux of the sea, and of the 



unequal length of days and nights. 
The next wish is, that, if he cannot 
obtain this, he may enjoy a quiet 
retirement in the country. 

476. Quarum sacra fero.~\ It is 
usual with the poets to call them- 
selves priests of the Muses : Thus 
Horace : 



Carmina non prius 



Audita Musarum Sacerdos 
Virginibus ptierisque canto : 

And Ovid : 

Ille ego Musarum purus, Phoebique Sa~ 
cerdos. 

479* Tumescant."] It is tumescunt 
in the Lombard manuscript, ac- 
cording to Pierius : thus I find 
residunt in the next verse instead 
of residant, in some of the old 
editions. 

485. Rigui.'] Pierius says it is 
rigidi in the Roman manuscript. 

486. Inglorius.'] Philosophy, in 
Virgil's time, was in great reputa- 
tion amongst the Romans. Our 
Poet seems to have had Lucretius 
in his eye, when he wrote this 



203 



P. VIRGILI1 MARONIS 



wi2ti?SmS l lSS ! S. , Sperchiusque, et virginibus bacchata Lacaems 

vel ! oh ! that any one would r r • ■,.,.. ,,.. TX 

place me in the cool valleys of 1 aygeta : o, qui me gelidis in vallibus Haemi 

Haemus, 



passage. He entreats the Muses to 
teach him the heights of philoso- 
phy, which that Poet had described 
with so much elegance. But if he 
cannot reach so far, he begs, in the 
next place, that he may have a 
secure, quiet retirement in the 
country, though destitute of that 
glory, which he seeks in the first 
place. Cowley observes upon this 
passage, that " the first wish of 
" Virgil was to be a good philoso- 
"pher; the second, a good hus- 
« c Landman, and God, whom he 
" seemed to understand better than 
" most of the learned heathens, 
ft dealt with him just as he did 
te with Solomon : because he prayed 
€( for wisdom in the first place, he 
<e added all things else which were 
" subordinately to be desired. He 
" made him one of the best phi- 
tf losophers, and the best husband- 
" man, and to adorn and communi- 
" cate both those faculties, the best 
" poet : he made him besides all 
" this a rich man, and a man who 
" desired to be no richer. for- 
" tunatus nimium, et bona qui sua 
l( novit" 

0! ubi campi.~\ I do not take 
the Poet's meaning to be, that he 
is enquiring where these places are; 
which he surely knew. He ex- 
presses his delight to be in such 
valleys, rivers, and woods, as are to 
be met with in Thessaly, Laconia, 
and Thrace. May is the only 
translator, who has not supposed 
this to be a question : 

Then let me (fameless) love the fields 

and woods, 
The fruitful water'd vales, and running 

floods. 



Those plains, where clear Sperchius 

runs, that mount 
Where Spartan virgins to great Bacchus 

wont 
To sacrifice, or shady vales that lie 
Under high Haemus, let my dwelling be. 

Dryden has so paraphrased these 
lines, that he has rather imitated 
than translated Virgil : 

My next desire is, void of care and strife 
To lead a soft, secure, inglorious life. 
A country cottage near a crystal flood, 
A winding valley and a lofty wood. 
Some god conduct me to the sacred 



Where Bacchanals are sung by Spartan 

maids. 
Or lift me high to Hemus' hilly crown : 
Or on the plains of Tempe lay me down : 
Or lead me to some solitary place, 
And cover my retreat from human race. 

Mr. B represents the Poet as 

asking the question where these 
places are : 

O ! where Taygeta are thy sacred shades, 
Resounding with the songs of Spartan 
maids ? 

And Dr. Trapp : 

.. ■ ■ i O ! where are the plains, 
Sperchius, and Taygeta, by the dames 
Of Sparta, swoln with Bacchanalian rage 
Frequented ? 

487- Sperchius.'] Sperchius is a 
famous river of Thessaly rising 
from mount Pindus. 

Virginibus bacchata Lacoenis Tay- 
geta."] Taygetus, in the plural 
number Taygeta, is a mountain of 
Laconia near Sparta: it was sa- 
cred to Bacchus -, and his orgies 
were celebrated upon it by the La- 
cedaemonian women. 

488. Gelidis in vallibus H<zmi.] 
Haemus is a mountain of Thrace. 



GEORG. LIB. K. 



209 



Sistat, et ingenti ramorum protegat umbra ! t^Tlr™^ h«w 
Felix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas : 490 SwSS'iSSofSm'JS 

. . , ., r and could cast all fears, and 

Atque metus omnes, et incxorabue latum inexorable fate, 



Servius calls it a mountain of Thes- 
saly: " Hcemi: montis Thessaliae: 
" in qua etiam sunt Tempe." See 
the note on ver. 412. of the first 
Georgick. It is strange that Dry- 
ilen should write 

Or lift me high to Hemus' hilly crown, 

for the cool valleys of Hcnrmts. 

In one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts 
it is gelidis convallibus instead of 
gelidis in v a Hi bus. 

490. Felix, qui potuit, &c] The 
commentators generally understand 
this to be a repetition of what he 
had said before : only that as he 
had then given the preference to 
philosophy • now he seems to make 
the philosopher and the country- 
man equal ; for he pronounces them 
both happy. I take the Poet's 
meaning to be this. In the para- 
graph beginning with O fortunatos, 
&c. he had shewn the happiness of 
the country life, in opposition to 
living in courts and cities. In the 
next paragraph, beginning with me 
vero, &c. he expressed his earnest 
desire to become a natural philo- 
sopher j or, if he could not attain 
that, a good husbandman. In the 
paragraph now under consideration, 
he shews the happiness of the 
countryman to be like that which 
was sought after by the Epicurean 
philosophy. Epicurus was happy 
in overcoming all fears, especially 
the fear of death : the countryman 
is happy in conversing with the 
rural deities, in being free from 
troubles, and the uneasy passions 
of the mind. He lives on the fruits 
of his own trees, without being 
troubled with contentions, or law- 
suits. 



Rerum cognoscere causas.] Epi- 
curus wrote thirty-seven books of 
Natural Philosophy, which Dioge- 
nes Laertius says were excellent : 
Kcct toe (rvyypoi[£p,o&TK (t%v Eirixovgw tc- 
<rotvroc koli tyiXix.o&vtx, w» tx fiiXnrx Wt 
rccdz. Hzp) <pvtriit)$, *£', &C. 

491. Atque metus omnes, &c] 
Epicurus, in his epistle to Mence- 
ceus, exhorts his friend to accus- 
tom himself not to be concerned at 
the thoughts of death : seeing all 
good and evil consists in sensation ; 
and death is a privation of sense : 
"Zv/iSify dl h ra vopu'fytv ftydlv tr^os ^uxg 
uvett rov Socvoltov. &7r£i -zrxv ayot&ov nut 
X.CCX.0V Iv </J<r$yicru. fi^wis o'i Wiv cttir^vt- 
<riu$, S-ctvoLTo$. In another place of 
the same epistle he asks him who 
can be a better man, than he that 
thinks worthily of the gods, and 
bears death without terror: 'Emi, 
rivet, voplfyis uvoti fcgiiTTovoi Toy kclI irsgt 
SiiJv oFioc oo^oi^ovrog, v.ou mpl Sxvoitov 
dictTroiVTOs ci(po&6Jg i^ovrog. Lucretius 

extols Epicurus for dispelling the 
terrors of the mind, and removing 
the fears of Acheron : 

Tu pater, et rerum inventor: tu patria 

nobis 
Suppeditas praecepta: tuisqueex,inclute, 

chartis, 
Floriferis tit apes in saltibus omnia li- 

mant, 
Omnia nos itidem depascimur aurea 

dicta, 
Aurea perpetua semper dignissima vita. 
Nam simul ae Ratio tua coepit vociferari 
Naturam rerum haud Divina mente 

coortam, 
Diffugiunt Animi terrores ; mcerria mundi 
Discedunt, to turn video per inane geri 

res. 
Apparet divum numen, sedesque quietse : 
Quas neque concutiunt venti, neque nu- 

bila nimbis 
Adspergunt, neque nix ae?i eoncreta 

pruina 
2 E 



210 



P. VIRGILII MARONTS 



and the noise of greedy A- 
cheron beneath his feet ! 
Happy also is he, who lias 
known the rural gods. Pan, 
and old Sylvanus, and the 
sister nymphs. Him neither 
the rods of the people, nor 
the purple of kings 



Subjecit pedibus, strepitumque Acherontis 



avan 



i! 



Fortunatus et ille, deos qui novit agrestes, 
Panaque, Sylvanumque senem, Nymphasque 



sorores 



Ilium non populi fasces, non purpura regum 495 



Cana cadens violat : semperque innubilis 

aether 
Integit, et large diffuso lumine ridet. 
Omnia suppeditat porro natura, neque 

ulla 
Res animi pacem delibrat tempore in 

ullo. 
At contra nusquam apparent Achcrusia 

templa. 

Thou, parent of philosophy, hast shown 
The way to truth by precepts of thy own : 
For as from sweetest flowers the laVring 

tee 
Extracts her precious sweets, great soul I 

from thee 
We all our golden sentences derive ; 
Golden, and fit eternally to live. 
For when I hear thy mighty reasons prove 
This world "was made without the powers 

above ; 
All fears and terrors waste, and fly apace ; 
Thro 1 parted heavens I see the mighty 

space, 
The rise of things, the gods, and happy 

seats, 
Which storm or vVlent tempest never 

beats, 
Nor snow invades, but with the purest air, 
And gaudy light diffused look gay and 

fair: 
There bounteous Nature makes supplies 

for ease, 
Their minds enjoy uninterrupted peace : 
But that which senseless we so grossly 

fear, 
No hell, no sulphurous lakes, no pools ap- 
pear. 

Creech. 

Inexorabile.] Pierius says it is 
ineluctabile in the Roman manu- 
script. 

492. Strepitumque Acherontis 
avari.] In the King's and one 
of Dr. Mead's manuscripts it is 
strepitusque. 

Acheron is fabled to be one of 



the rivers of hell; and is put for 
hell itself. 

493. Fortunatus et illce.] Here the 
Poet compares the happiness, which 
results from the innocence of a 
country life, to that which is ob- 
tained by philosophy. Cicero in 
his treatise on old age says the 
life of a husbandman approaches 
very near to that of a philosopher : 
" Mihi ad sapientis vitam proxime 
" videtur accedere." Columella 
says it is nearly related to philoso- 
phy ; " Res rustica sine dubitatione 
" proxima, et quasi consanguinea 
" sapientiae est." 

494. Panaque.] Pan is the chief 
of the rural deities. 

Sylvanumque senem.] See the 
note on book i. ver. 20. 

Nymphasque sorores.'] There were 
several sorts of nymphs : the Naiads 
presided over rivers ; the Nereids 
over seas ; the Oreads over moun- 
tains ; the Dryads over woods, &c. 

495. Populi fasces.] The fasces 
were bundles of birchen rods, in 
the midst of which was placet! an 
axe, with the head appearing at the 
top. They were the ensigns of au- 
thority, and were carried before 
the Roman magistrates. We learn 
from Diogenes Laertius, that Epi- 
curus avoided public offices out 
of modesty : 'YxsgSoAJf y«g t7rtiiKuecg, 
ov2i 7roXiTiiccq 9}^/xto. Cicero also 
seems to insinuate, that the Epi- 
curean philosophy persuaded men 
not to engage in public business : 
" Nee ulla tamen ei philosophise 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



211 



Flexit, et infidos agitans discordia fratres ; 
Aut conjurato descendens Dacus ab Istro : 



has moved, nor the discord 
that reigns between faithless 
brothers ; nor the Dacian de- 
scending from the conspir- 
ing Ister; nor the affairs of 

Non res Roman ae, penturaque regna : neque llle f om ^ 5n " p 1 f a s 7 1 e doorred 



" fiet injuria a nobis. Non enim 
" repelletur inde, quo aggredi cu- 
" piet: seil in hortulis quiescet 
" suis, ubi vult; ubi etiam recu- 
" bans, molliter, et delicate, nos 
" ctvocat a rostris, ajudiciis, a curia : 
** fortasse sapienter, hac praesertim 
V republica." Virgil observes, that, 
if this retirement from public af- 
fairs is to be accounted a part of 
happiness, the countryman enjoys 
it abundantly. He does not seek 
after magistracies, nor courts ; he 
has nothing to do with discord, nor 
concerns himself about foreign con- 
spiracies. 

497- Conjurato descendens Dacus 
ab Istro.'] The Danube or Ister is 
the largest river in Europe : several 
different nations dwelling on its 
banks. The ancients called this 
river Danubius at its beginning, 
and till it reaches Illyricum; but 
below that, Ister. Virgil therefore 
calls it the Ister with great pro- 
priety, because the Dacians inhabit 
the lower parts of it, not far from 
its falling into the Euxine sea. 

The Dacians inhabited those 
parts which are now called Tran- 
sylvania, Moldavia, and Walachia. 
It is said, they had a custom of 
filling their mouths with the water 
of this river, before they undertook 
any war, and swearing that they 
would not return into their own 
country, till they had slain their 
enemies. Therefore Virgil calls it 
the conspiring Ister, because the 
Dacians were accustomed to con- 
spire after this manner on the 
banks of the river Ister. 

498. Neque ille aut doluit miserans 
inopem, aut invidit habentl] Epicu- 
rus placed a great happiness in 



being free from perturbations of 
the mind, of which pity and envy 
are not the least. This happiness 
the husbandman enjoys, for, in the 
country, nature produces so many 
necessaries of life, that there can 
be no objects of pity: and his life 
is so happy in itself, that he has no 
temptation to envy any one. Ser- 
vius, and after him most of the 
commentators, take Virgil to speak 
here of a Stoical apathy, in which 
sense Dryden seems to have trans- 
lated him : 

Nor envies he the rich their heapy 

store, 
Nor his own peace disturbs with pity 

for the poor. 

Virgil had no such ill-natured 
meaning, nor Epicurus neither. 
Epicurus might be against pity, so 
far as it ruffled the mind and made 
it uneasy : but he was far from 
condemning it in the sense we fre- 
quently use it, of" relieving the 
wants and necessities of our neigh- 
bours. Diogenes Laertius tells us 
that he was remarkable for piety 
to his parents, kindness to his bro- 
thers, gentleness to his servants, 
and the best natured man in the 
world : Ilgos iovq -yovzetq iv%et£irix, xeti 
M -zrpbg Tovq uotXtyovs iV7roitee>, "srgog rl 
ttvq ciKirctq iifii^orvis .... xe&oXov c)l JJ 
Trgog 7retvTas ecvrov <pi\xv§QU7rl#. It is 
not to be supposed that a man of 
such a character could be backward 
in supporting those who wanted 
his assistance: nay the very con- 
trary appears from the whole tenor 
of his life. Seneca distinguishes 
pity from clemency and good-na- 
ture, and says it differs from them, 
as superstition does from religion, 
and is a mark of a vulgar mind ; 
2 E 2 



212 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



/ 



XfpSJTSr hSVeJvS Aut dolui t miserans inopem, aut invidit habeuiuj 

the rich. He has gathered ^ . c , 

such fmits as the branches, UJuos rami iructus, quos ipsa volentia rura 500 

such as his own willing farms "* x 



"Quemadmodum religio deos colit, 
•* superstitio violat : ita clementiam 
" mansuetudinemque omnes boni 
" prsestabunt, misericordiam autem 
<f vitabunt. Est enim vitium pu- 
" silli animi, ad speciem alienorum 
" malorum suecidentis. Itaque pes- 
tc simo cuique familiarissima est." 
Thus Virgil does not suppose his 
countryman obdurate to the cries 
of the poor, but so happy as not to 
see any of his neighbours so mise- 
rable, as to be objects of compas- 
sion. May has very justly trans- 
lated this passage : 

He sees no poor, whose miserable state 

He suffers for. 

Cowley speaks much to the same 
purpose in his discourse of agri- 
culture: " There are as many ways 
" to be rich, and, which is better, 
" there is no possibility to be poor, 
" without such negligence as can 
" have neither excuse nor pity; 
ee for a little ground will without 
*' question feed a little family, and 
" the superfluities of life, which are 
<€ now in some cases by custom 
" made almost necessary, must be 
'* supplied out of the superabun- 
*' dance of art and industry, or con- 
" temned by as great a degree of 
" philosophy." 

500. Quos raviifructus, &c] No 
man's memory has been more tra- 
duced than that of Epicurus. He 
has been represented as a person 
wholly given up to luxury and in- 
temperance. His name is become 
a proverb, to express a voluptuous 
person, whose whole pleasure was 
in eating and drinking. And yet it 
is certain that he was a great pat- 
tern of temperance, and recom- 
mended it to his followers. Dio- 



genes Laertius informs us that he 
was contented with bread and wa- 
ter, and, when he had a mind to 
gratify his appetite, he added a 
piece of cheese : Ainog ri Qvriv Iv rxTg 
l7ri<roXx7g, v^xri fiOVOV agKiio&xt , y.xi 
agTa Xira. xxi vif/efyvi pot T»ga2, (pijo?, 
xvSj>ioJov, iV orxv (ZovXupxi, 7roXvrtXi- 
<rot<r$xt dvwpxi. Epicurus himself, 
in his epistle to Menoeceus, says, 
that when he speaks of pleasure he 
does not mean the pleasures of the 
voluptuous and intemperate, as 
some have misinterpreted him : 
but tranquillity of mind and a body 
void of pain. Not eating, says he, 
and drinking, not venereal enjoy- 
ments, not a luxurious table, procure 
a pleasant life, but sober reasoning, 
which searches into the causes why 
some thingsare to be chosen, others to 
be rejected, and explodes those opi- 
nions which tend to disturb the mind: 
' Orxv ovv XsyayAv voovyiv riXcg vxx^uv, 
cv rxg rav xtrarav vdovag, xxi rag raov h 
UTToXxvrit xujthxg Xiyopiv, ug ring xy- 
voovvrzg xxi ov% opoXoyovvng '» xxxatg 
IxdifcOftiVOi VOf&l^OVFlV, xXXx to ftfirz xX- 

yiiv Kxrx <rupx, pjre rxgxrritr&xi xxrx 

IpVXW- W yOt-% Tf^rOi XXI XUfAOl <TV))U(>6*- 

Tig, oii^ X7roXxv<nig 7rx/^6>v xxi yvvxixav, 
cud' 'lyfivav xxi rm aXXav qtx <p'i^ti 
ncXvriXng r^X7iiZ ) x i rov w$i/y yivvx fii'ov, 
xXXx vqtpav Xoyitrftbg, xxi rag x'irixg 
i£i(>ivvav 7rde7ig xigunag xx] (pvyiig, xai 
rag !)o£xg ll-iXxvwv, aft uv %Xti<,t>g t«s 
■fyvfcag xxrxXxpZani So^woog. Virgil 
says his countryman enjoys these 
frugal blessings of temperance : be 
lives upon the fruits of his own 
trees, and what nature produces all 
around him. This Cowley calls 
being a true Epicure : 

When Epicurus to the world had taught, 
That pleasure was the chiefest good, 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



213 



Sponte tulere sua, carpsit : nee ferrea jura, 
Insanumque forum, aut populi tabularia vidit. 
SolKcitant alii remis freta caeca, ruuntque 
In ferrum ; penetrant aulas et limina regum : 
Hie petit excidiis urbem, miserosque Penates, 
Ut gemma bibat, et Sarrano indormiat ostro. 506 



have yielded spontaneously : 
nor has he seen the hardships 
of the law, and the mad 
Forum, or the courts of the 
people. Some trouble the 
blind seas with oars, rush into 
war, and penetrate the courts 
and palaces of kings. One 
seeks to ruin cities and mise- 
rable families, that he may 
drink in gems, and sleep on 
Sarran scarlet. 



And was perhaps i' th' right, if rightly 

understood, 
His life he to his doctrine brought, 
And in a garden's shade that sovereign 

pleasure sought. 
Whoever a true Epicure would be, 
May there find cheap, and virtuous lux- 

urie. 

502. Tabularia.] The Tabula- 
rium was a place at Rome, where 
the public records were kept. 

503. Sollicitanl alii, &c] In this 
passage the Poet shews the prefer- 
ence of agriculture to the several 
employments and desires of men. 

506. Sarrano.] Tyre was an- 
ciently called Sarra. Servius says 
it had its name from the fish Sar, 
with which it abounds. " Sarrano 
" dormiat ostro. Tyria purpura. 
" Quae enim nunc Tyros dicitur, 
" olim Sarra vocabatur, a pisce 
" quodam, qui illic abundat: quem 
" lingua sua Sar appellant/' Bo- 
chart observes, that Servius is ge- 
nerally mistaken in his Phoenician 
etymologies. He derives Sarra from 
the Hebrew name ^py Tsor, by 
which Tyre is called in the holy 
Scriptures. He thinks Servius had 
read in Trogus, that Sidon had its 
name from a fish, and, by a slip of 
his memory, had said that of Tyre, 
1 which he had read of Sidon : " Vir- 
| ■' gilii vetus Scholiastes scholiis suis 
\ " Punica quaedam interspergit, sed 
! " pleraque pessimal notae. Tale 
| " illud in lib. 2. Georg. Quce nunc 
I " Tyrus dicitur, olim Sana vocaba- 
j " tur, a pisce quodam qui illic abun- 
j *' dat, quem lingua sua Sar appellant. 
Verum quidem est Romanos ve- 



" teres pro Tyro dixisse Sarram. 
" Ita in Gellio'legitur, et in Festo, 
" et in Paulo: et in Fragments 
" Ennii, Pcenos Sarra oriundos. Un- 
" de est quod pro Tyrio poeta dixit 
e< Sarranum ostruin ; et Juvenalis 
«•' Sarrana aul&a ; et Silius, lib. 6. 
" Sarranam Junonem, et Sarranam 
" ccedem; et lib. 7- Sarranum navi- 
" tarn; et lib. 8. Sarrana numina ; 
" et lib. 9. Sarranum nomen, et Sar- 
" ranam manum; et lib. 1 1 . Sarrana 
c( caslra; et lib. 15. Sarranum muri- 
" cem ; et lib. 3. Sarranam Leptin ; 
<c et Columella Sarranam violam, id 
M est purpuream, quia purpura e 
"Tyro; et fortasse apud Stepha- 
" num QoiviKYis ttoXis Xeo^x, unde 
" gentile Zffgavo?, id ipsum erat 
" Graecis quod Romanis Sarra et 
" Sarranus. "Za^x, saltern plurimum 
" accedit ad Hebrseum T)2f Tsor, 
tl quo nomine Tyrum appellant sa- 
" cri Scriptores, sed piscis sar, unde 
" Sarra, si quidem Servio fides, non 
" extat ullibi gentium. Et Sarrce 
" nomen deduci notum est ex He- 
" brseo Tyri nomine "ll2f Tsor ; in 
" quo literam tsade, quae medii 
" est soni inter T et S Graeoi in T 
" mutarunt, et Romani in S. Ita 
" factum ut ex eodem -)15? et Tv^og 
" nasceretur et Sarra, Sed Ser- 
" vium verisimile est, cum alicubi 
" legisset quod in Trogo habetur, 
" Sidonem a pisce dici, titubante 
" memoria id de Tyro scripsisse 
et quod de Sidone legerat. Non 
" dispari errore Origenes Tyrus, 
" inquit, apud Hebrceos sonat idem 
" quod nobis venantes. Imo Tyrus 



<2\i 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



b^^S^^wSSrS Condit opes alius, defossoque incubat auro. 

other is struck with astonish- TT . . , . , . 

merit at the rostra : another rllC Stupet attOIlltUS rOStHS : hUDC pldUSUS hl- 

is smitten with the double ap- 

Elause of senators and pie- ante HI 

eians in the theatre : others 
rejoice in spilling their bro- 
ther's blood, 



Per cuneos, geminatus enim, plebisque, pa- 
trumque 509 

Corripuit : gaudent perfusi sanguine fratrum, 



" rupem sonat; set! Sidon vel a 
<f venatione vel a piscatione dici- 
" tur." 

Indormiaf] I follow Heinsius, 
Ruaeus, and Masvicius. All the 
manuscripts which I have collated, 
Servius, La Cerda, Schrevelius, and 
most of the editors read dormiat. 

538. Hie stupet altonittis rostris.] 
This seems not to be spoken of the 
orators themselves, but of their 
hearers, who are struck with asto- 
nishment at the force of their elo- 
quence. Though the Poet may 
mean also, that this admiring of 
eloquence may stir up in them a 
vehement desire of becoming ora- 
tors. Dryden has made Virgil use 
abusive language on this occasion : 

Some patriot fools to popular praise 

aspire 
Of public speeches, which worse fools 

admire. 



Mr. B- 



makes the astonishment 
relate wholly to the orator himself: 

He in the Rostrum lifts to heaven his 

eyes, 
Amaz'd, confounded, speechless with 

surprise. 

But why the orator should be af- 
fected in such a manner, I must 
own myself at a loss to compre- 
hend. Dr. Trapp seems to under- 
stand this expression of the Poet in 
the same sense with me : 

That doats with fondness on the Ros- 
trum's fame. 

Hunc plausus, &c] This is ge- 
nerally understood to be meant of 



dramatic Poets, who are ambitious 
of a general applause of the whole 
audience. The Patricians and Ple- 
beians had their different seats or 
boxes in the Roman theatre, which, 
being extended from the centre to 
the circumference, were consequent- 
ly narrower at the centre, like so 
many wedges, whence they were 
called cunei. See the note on ver. 
381. Virgil's expression seems to 
mean the same as if we should now 
say, others are fond of a general 
applause from the pit, boxes, and 
galleries. 

509. Geminatus. .] Pierius found 
geminatus in the Roman, Medicean, 
Lombard, and other ancient manu- 
scripts. It is the same in all the 
manuscripts, which I have collated, 
and in most printed editions. Some 
read geminatur ; others geminaniur. 

510. Gaudent perfusi sanguine 
fratrum.] In the old Nurenberg 

edition it is patrum. 

We have a passage not much 
unlike this in Lucretius ; 

Sanguine civili rem conflant : divitias- 
que 

Conduplicant avidi, caedem ceedi accu- 
mulantes : 

Crudeles gaudent in tristi funere fratris : 

Et consanguineum menses odere, ti- 
me ntque. 

By civil wars endeavour to get more ; 
And, doubling murders, double their vast 

store ; 
Laugh o'er their brothers' graves, and 

tini'rous guests 
All hate, and dread their nearest kins-mev's 

feasts. 

Crulch. 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



2L> 



Exilioque domos ct dulcia limina mutant; 
Atque alio patriam queer unt sub sole jacentem. 
Agricola incurvo terram dimovit aratro : 
Hinc anni labor : hinc patriam, parvosque ne- 

potes 
Sustinet; hinc armenta bourn, meritosque ju- 

vencos. 515 

Nee requies, quin aut pomis exuberet annus, 
Aut fcetu pecorum, aut Cerealis mergite culmi : 
Proventuque oneret sulcos, atque horrea vincat. 
Venit hyems, teritur Sicyon ia bacca trapetis, 
Glande sues laeti redeunt, dant arbuta sylvae: 520 
Et varios ponit fcetus autumnus, et alte 
Mitis in apricis coquitur vindemia saxis. 
Interea dulces pendent circum oscula nati: 



and change their habitations 
and dear houses for exile, and 
seek countries lying under 
another sun. The husband- 
man stirs the earth with his 
crooked plough; hence the 
labour of the year, hence he 
sustains his country and small 
family; hence his herds of 
kine, and deserving bullocks. 
Nor is there any intermission, 
but the season abounds either 
with fruit, or young cattle, 
or sheaves of corn ; and loads 
the furrows with increase ; 
and bursts the barns. Win- 
ter comes ; and the Sicyonian 
berry is pounded in mills, the 
swine come home full of mast, 
the woods yield arbutes ; and 
autumn suppliesvariousfruits, 
and the mild vintage is ripen- 
ed on the open hills. In the 
mean time his sweet children 
hang about his neck j 



513. Agricola incurvo, &c.]. In 
opposition to all these vexations 
and solicitudes the Poet tells us 
the husbandman has only the labour 
of ploughing, which supports his 
country and his own family. And, 
to recompense his labours, there is 
no part of the year which does not 
produce something to his benefit. 
To crown all, he tells us he is happy 
in a virtuous wife and dear chil- 
dren : he is delighted with the sight 
of his cattle; and diverts himself 
with rural sports on holy- days. 

514. Nepotes.~\ La Cerda reads 
Penates. 

519- Venit liycms7\ Mr. B 

will have hyems, in this place, not 
to signify the winter^ but a storm. 
The time of gathering olives is in 
winter. Columella says the middle 
time of gathering them is the 
beginning of December : " Media 
" est oli vitas pier um que initium 
ft mensis Decembris." The same 
author places the beginning of win- 
ter on the ninth of November: 
w Quinto Idus Novembris hvemis 



ei initium." Palladius places the 
making of oil under November. 

Sicyonia bacca.~\ Sicyon was a 
city of Achaia, not far from the 
Peloponnesian Isthmus. . It was 
famous for olives : whence he calls 
the olive the Sicyonian berry. Thus 
Ovid : 

Quot Sicyon baccas, quot parit Hybla 
favos : 

And 

Aut ut olivifera quondam Sicyone fu- 
gato. 

Trapetis."] The olive mill is de- 
scribed by Cato, in the twentieth 
and twenty-second chapters of his 
book of Husbandry. 

520. Arbuta.] See the note on 
ver. 148. of the first Georgick. 

522. Apricis saxis.] See the note 
on ver. 377- 

523. Interea pendent dulces circum 
oscula nati.] This seems to be put 
in opposition to those, whom he 
mentioned before to be punished 
with banishment from their fami- 
lies : 



216 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



his chaste family preserve 
their modesty ; his cows trail 
their milky udders; and his 
fat kids butt at e.ich other 
with their horns on the ver- 
dant grass. The farmer him- 
self celebrates the festival 
days, and extended on the 
grass, whilst the fire burns in 
the midst, and his compa- 
nions crown the goblet, 
makes the libation, and in- 
vokes thee, O Leneus, and 
places a mark on an elm, for 
the herdsmen to throw their 
swift javelins ; and strips 
their hardy bodies, for wrest- 
ling in the rusric ring. Tfiis 
life the ancient Sabines for- 
merly led, this Remus and 
his brother led ; thus strong 
Etruria grew, 



Casta pudicitiam servat domus : ubera vaccae 
Lactea demittunt 3 pinguesque in gramine leeto 
Inter se adversis luctantur cornibus hoedi. 526 
Ipse dies agitat festos ; fususque per herbam, 
Ignis ubi in medio, et socii cratera coronant, 
Te libans, Lenaee, vocat, pecorisque magistris 
Velocis jaculi certamina ponit in ulmo ; 530 
Corporaque agresti nudat praedura palaestra. 
Hanc olim veteres vitam coluere Sabini ; 
Hanc Remus et frater : sic fortis Etruria crevit ; 



Exilioque domos, et dulcia limina mu- 
tant. 

Lucretius has something like this, 
in his third book : 

At jam non domus accipiet te Iseta, ne- 

que uxor 
Optima, nee dulces occurrent oscula nati 
Praeripere, et tacita pectus dulcedine 

tangent. 

524. Casta pudicitiam servat do- 
mus^ This is opposed to the fre- 
quent adulteries, which are com- 
mitted in cities. 

525. Pinguesque.] In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts que is left out. 

528. Cratera coronat.] This may- 
be understood either of crowning 
the goblet with flowers, or filling 
it with wine to the brim. This is 
plainly meant by Virgil as a solemn 
adoration of Bacchus : but Dryden 
represents them as drinking the 
farmer's health : 

The hearth is in the midst ; the herds- 
men round 

The cheerful fire, provoke his health in 
goblets crown'd. 

531. Nudatr\ Pierius says it is 
nudant in the Roman, the Medi- 
cean, and other very ancient manu- 
scripts. It is nudant in the King's, 
the Bodleian, and in one of JDr. 
Mead's manuscripts: but nudat is 
more generally received. 



532. Hanc olim, &c] Having 
shewn the advantages and delights 
of husbandry; he concludes this se- 
cond Georgick, with observing that 
this was the life which their glo- 
rious ancestors led ; that this was 
the employment of Saturn, in the 
golden age, before mankind were 
grown wicked, and had learned the 
art of war. 

Veteres Sabinir\ The Sabines 
were an ancient people of Italy, 
near Rome. They were famous 
for religion and virtue: and are 
thought by some to derive their 
name ano r» (r£>to$xi, from worship- 
ping. Thus Pliny: " Sabini, ut 
" quidam existimavere, a religione 
" et deorum cultu Sebini appellati." 
It is customary with the Poets to 
compare a chaste, virtuous, matron, 
to the Sabine women. Thus Ho- 
race : 

Quod si pudica mulier in partem juvans 
Domum, atque dulces liberos ; 

Sabina qualis, aut perusta solibus 
Pernicis uxor Appuli. 

But if a icife, more chaste than fair. 
Such as the ancient Sabines -acre, 
Such as the hrorvn Apidian dame, 
Of moderate face, and honest fame. 

Creech. 

533. Hanc Remus et frater.] Ro- 
mulus and Remus, when they un- 
dertook to found their new city, 



GEORG. LIB. II. 8H 

Scilicet et rerum facta est pulcherrima Roma, S d st % u s ri J° m of tw^ e the 



Rome, were joined by a great num- 
ber of shepherds, according to Livy : 
" Ita Numitori Albana permissa re, 
" Romulum Remumque cupido 
*' cepit, in iis locis ubi expositi, 
" ubique educati erant, urbis con- 
" dendae : et supererat multitudo 
( ' Albanorum Latinorumque : ad id 
* e pastores qUoque accesserant, qui 
u omnes facile spem facerent, par- 
c< vam Albam, parvum Lavinium, 
" prae ea urbe quae conderetur fore." 
They were educated themselves 
amongst the shepherds, and were 
employed in tending the sheep, 
according to the same author: 
" Tenet fama, cum fluitantem al- 
" veum, quo expositi erant pueri, 
V tenuis in sicco aqua destituisset, 
" lupam sitientem, ex montibus qui 
". circa sunt, ad puerilem vagitum 
" cursum flexisse : earn summissas 
" infantibus adeo mitem praebuisse 
'.' mammas, ut lingua lambentem 
" pueros magister regit pecoris in- 
" venerit. Faustulo fuisse nomen 
"ferunt; ab eo ad stabula Lau- 
" rentiae uxori educandos datos . . . 
" Cum primum adolevit aetas, nee 
" in stabulis, nee ad pecora segnes, 
te venando peragrare circa saltus, 
" hinc robore et corporibus animis- 
" que sumto, jam non feras tantum 
" subsistere, sed in latrones prseda 
" onustos impetum facere, pastori- 
". busque rapta dividere." 

Sic fortis Etruria crevit.] Etru- 
ria, or Tuscany, was bounded on 
the north and west by the Apen- 
nines, by the mare infer um, or 
Tyrrhene sea, on the south, and by 
the river Tyber on the east. The 
Etrurians are said to have extended 
their dominion from the Alps to the 
Sicilian sea, whence the sea, which 
washes that coast of Italy, obtained 
the name of the Tyrrhene, or Tus- 
can sea. 



534>. Facta est pulcherrima Roma.] 
The ancient Romans were greatly 
addicted to husbandry, and are 
known to have had that art in the 
greatest esteem. Cato mentions, 
as an instance of this, that they 
thought they could not bestow a 
greater praise on any good man, 
than calling him a good husband- 
man : " Et virum bonum cum lau- 
" dabant, ita laudabant, bonum 
" Agricolam, bonumque colonum. 
" Amplissime laudari existimaba- 
" tur, qui ita laudabatur." Cicero, 
in his oration for Sextus Roscius, 
observes that their ancestors, by 
diligently following agriculture, 
brought the Commonwealth to the 
flourishing condition, in which it 
then was : <f Etenim, qui praeesse 
" agro colendo flagitium putes, pro- 
" fecto ilium Atilium, quern sua 
" manu spargentem semen, qui 
" missi erant, convenerunt, homi- 
" nem turpissimum, atque inhones- 
•' tissimum judicares. At hercule 
" majores nostri longe aliter et de 
" illo, et . de caeteris talibus viris 
" existimabant. Itaque ex minima, 
" tenuissimaque Republica maximum 
" et jioreniissimam nobis reliquerunt. 
" Suos enim agros studiose cole- 
" bant : non alienos cupide appe- 
" tebant : quibus rebus, et agris, et 
" urbibus, et nationibus, rempub- 
" licam atque hoc impeiium, et 
" Populi llomani nomen auxeruntS' 
Columella observes that Quintius 
Cincinnati! s, who was called from 
the plough to the Dictatorship, laid 
down his ensigns of authority, with 
greater joy, than he took them up, 
and returned to his bullocks, and 
little hereditary farm of four acres : 
that C. Fabritius, and Curius Den- 
tatus, of whom one had driven 
Pyrrhus out of Italy, and the other 
had subdued the Sabines, cultivated 
2p 



S18 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



wiuSSiTSS^AiSbSS Septemque una sibi muro circumdedit arces. 



thereign of the Dictasan king, 



and before the impious age Ante etiam sceptram Dictssi Keens, et ante 

feasted upon slain bullocks, 

Irapm quam cassis gens est epulata juvencis, 



the seven acres, which they shared 
with the rest of the people, with a 
diligence, equal to the valour by 
which they had obtained them: 
that the true offspring of Romulus 
were hardened by rural labour, to 
bear the fatigues of war, when their 
country called for their aid; and 
that they chose their soldiers out 
of the country rather than out of 
the city: •* Verum cum plurimis 
'•' monumentis scriptorum admo- 
tc near, apud antiquos nostros fuisse 
" glorise curam rusticationis, ex qua 
" Quintius Cincinnatus, obsessi 
'•' Consulis et exercitus liberator, ab 
" aratro vocatus ad Dictaturam 
01 venerit, ac rursus, fascibus de- 
" positis, quos festinantius victor 
" reddiderat, quam sumpserat Im- 
" perator, ad eosdem juvencos, et 
" quatuor jugerum avitum haeredio- 
*' lum redierit. Itemque C. Fabri- 
tC cius, et Curius Dentatus, alter 
«. Pyrrho finibus Italiae pulso, do- 
" mitis alter Sabinis, accepta quae 
•• viritim dividebantur captivi agri, 
" septem jugera non minus indus- 
" trie coluerit, quam fortiter armis 
ts quaesierat .... At mehercule vera 
" ilia Komuli proles assiduis vena- 
" tibus, nee minus agrestibus operi- 
" bus exercitata, firmissimis praeva- 
" luit corporibus, ac militiam belli, 
*' cum res postulavit, facile susti- 
" nuit, durata pacis laboribus, sem- 
" perque rusticam plebem praeposuit 
« urbanae." Pliny observes that 
Italy produced a greater quantity 
of corn in former ages, which he 
ascribes to the lands, being culti- 
vated by the hands of generals; 
and ploughmen who had triumphed : 
" Quaenam ergo tan tag ubertatis 
** ,causa erat ? Ipsorum time mani- 



" bus Imperatorum colebantur agri, 
" ut fas est credere, gaudente terra 
" vonrere laureato, et triumphali 
" aratore : sive illi eadem cura se- 
" mina tractabant, qua bella, ea- 
f{ demque diligentia arva dispone- 
" bant, qua castra: sive honestis 
ec manibus omnia laetius proveniunt, 
" quoniam et curiosius fiunt." 

535. Septemque una sibi muro cir- 
cumdedit arces.] In some editions 
it is septem quaz. 

" The seven hills of Rome, which 
" were inclosed within one wall, 
" were, the Palatinus, now Palazzo 
" maggiore ; the Quirinalis, now 
" monie Cavallo ; the Ccelius, now 
" monte di S. Giovanni Laterano ; 
" the Capitolinus, now Campidoglio ; 
<( the Aventinus, now monte di S. 
" Sabina ; the Esquilinus, now mon- 
" ie di S. Maria maggiore; and the 
" Viminalis ; to which seven were 
" added the Janicidus, now Monto- 
" rio, and the Vatican." Ru^us. 

536. Dictcei Regis.] Dicte is the 
name of a mountain of Crete, where 
Jupiter was educated, and on which 
a temple was built in honour of 
him. Hence the Poet calls J upiter 
the Dictaean king. 

537- Ccsais juvencis.] In the first 
ages it was thought unlawful to slay 
their oxen, because they assisted 
mankind in tilling the ground. 
Thus Cicero : " Quid de bobus lo- 
" quar ? quibus cum terras subige- 
" rentur fissione glebarum, ab illo 
" aureo genere, ut Poetae loquuntur, 
" vis nunquam ulla afferebatur." 
Varro says it was anciently made 
a capital crime to kill an ox : " Hie 
" socius hominum in rustico opere, 
" et Cereris minister. Ab hoc an- 
" tiqui man us ita abstineri volue- 



GEORG. LIB. II. 



819 



Aureus Lane vitam in terris Saturnus agebat. 
Necdum etiam audierant inflari classica, necdum 
Impositos duris crepitare incudibus enses. 540 
Sed nos immensum spatiis confecimus aequor; 
Et jam tempus equum fumantia solvere culla. 



gol-'en Saturn led tl is life 
upon earth. They had not 
then heard the war' ike sund 
of tlie crumpet, nor the clat- 
tering of swords upon hard 
anvils But we have now run 
our cour-e ove a va»t plain, 
and it is now time to release 
the smoking necks of our 
horses 



" runt ut capite sanxerint, siquis 
" occidisset :" and Columella also 
says that oxen were so esteemed 
among the ancients, that it was 
held as capital a crime to kill an 
ox, as to slay a citizen: " Cujus 
" tanta fuit apud antiquos venera- 
" tio, ut tam capitale esset bovem 
" necasse, quam civem." Virgil 
seems in this place to have imitated 
Aratus, who says that in the brazen 
age men first began to form the 
mischievous sword, and to eat the 
labouring oxen : 



'AXX' on Sri xtlxstvoi IriS-vxtruv, el S* iyivovro, 
Xakxti*) ytnh, ztgorigav oXourt^oi avo^gts, 
O'izr^uToi xaxoi^yov l%oc.k%ttJ<ruvro (itt,%ot,t- 

(>a.v 
TLlvob'im, zrgurot Ti fiouv Wafeivr' ugorwgav. 

538. Aureus Saturnus."] The 
golden age was fabled to have 
been under the government of Sa- 
turn. This age terminated with the 
expulsion of Saturn by Jupiter. 

541. Spatiis.^ See the note on 
book i. ver. 513. 

542. Fumantia.~\ Pier i us says it 
is spumantia in the Roman, and 
other manuscripts. 



2 ft 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

GEORGICORUM 



LIBER TERTIUS. 



TE quoque, magna Pales, et te memorande, j^^ETo'SKS! 



memorable by Amphrysus ; 
ye woods and rivers of Ly- 



canemus, 

cxus. Other poems, which 

Pastor ab Amphryso: vos, sylvae, amnesque have employed idle minds, 

Lycaei. 
Caetera, quae vacuas tenuissent carmina mentes, 



1. Te quoque, &c] The Poet, 
intending to make cattle the subject 
of his third book, unfolds his de- 
sign, by saying he will sing of 
Pales, the goddess of shepherds ; of 
Apollo, who fed the herds of Ad- 
metus on the banks of Amphrysus ; 
and of the woods and rivers of Ly- 
caeus, a mountain of Arcadia, famous 
for sheep. He then shews a con- 
tempt of the fabulous Poems, the 
subjects of which he says are all 
trite and vulgar, and hopes to soar 
above the Greek Poets. 

Pales is the goddess of shepherds. 
The feast called Palilia, in which 
milk was offered to her, was cele- 
brated on the twentieth of April, 
on which day also Rome was 
founded by Romulus. 

2. Pastor ab Amphryso.'] Am- 
phrysus is a river of Thessaly, 
where Apollo fed the herds of king 
Ac|metus. 

Lycfti] Lycaeus is a mountain 



of Arcadia, famous for sheep, and 
sacred to Pan, being accounted one 
of his habitations. 

3. Ccetera, qua? vacuas tenuissent 
carmina mentes, omnia jam vulgata.] 
" Though I do not dislike carmina, 
" yet in some manuscripts it is car- 
" mine, in the ablative case. For 
" he does not mean that other 
" poems are now grown common, 
" but all other subjects, which 
" might be treated in verse, and 
" are the usual themes of poets. 
" What these are he immediately 
"recites." Pierius. 

Fulvius Ursinus observes, that 
Virgil alludes to particular authors, 
who had treated severally of these 
fables. Homer has related the fa- 
ble of Eurystheus in the eighteenth 
Iliad. The Busiris of Mnesima- 
chus is quoted in the ninth book of 
Athenaeus. Theocritus has spoken 
of Hylas; Callimachus is referred 
to in Latonia Debs, and the first 



?se 



P. VIRGILI'I MARONIS 



a*e now all become common. 
Who is unacquainted with 
cruel Eurystheus, or does not 
know the altais of the ex- 
ecrable Busiris ? 



vulgata. 



Omnia jam 
durum, 
Aut illaudati nescit Busiridis aras ? 



Quis aut Eurysthea 



Olympic ode of Pindar is to be un- 
derstood by the mention of Hippo- 
damia and Pelops. 

4. Omnia jam vulgata.~] In the 
Bodleian, and in one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts, it is omnia sunt vul- 
gata. 

Eurysthea durum.] Pierius says 
some would read dirum, but durum 
is the true reading. Dr. Trapp 
however has translated these words, 
Eurystheus dire. 

Eurystheus the son of Sthenelus 
was king of Mycenae, and, at the 
instigation of Juno, imposed on 
Hercules his twelve famous labours, 
which he hoped would have over- 
powered him. 

5. Illaudati Busiridis arasr\ Bu- 
siris is generally said to have been 
the son of Neptune, king of Egypt, 
and a most cruel tyrant. He used 
to sacrifice strangers, but Hercules 
overcame him, and sacrificed both 
him and his son on the same altars. 
Diodorus Siculus tells us, that this 
cruelty of Busiris was a fable in- 
vented by the Greeks, but grounded 
on a custom practised by the Egyp- 
tians of sacrificing red-haired people 
to the manes of that king, because 
Typhon, who slew him, was of that 
colour. Sir Isaac Newton makes 
Busiris to be the same with Sesac, 
Sesostris, and the great Bacchus; 
and adds, that " the Egyptians be- 
" fore his reign called him their 
" Hero or Hercules ; and after his 
" death, by reason of his great 
* works done to the river Nile, de- 
1 ' dicated that river to him, and 
*< deified him by its names Sihor, 
" Nilus, and Egypius ; and the 
*' Greeks hearing them lament O 
4t Sihor, Bou Sihor, called him Osi- 



" ris and Busiris." The same great 
author places the end of his reign 
upon the fifth year of Asa, 956 years 
before Christ. Eratosthenes, as he 
is quoted by Strabo, affirms not only 
that this sacrificing of strangers was 
a fable, but that there never was a 
king "or tyrant named Busiris. 

In the next place let us consider 
the objection which the ancient 
grammarians have made to the use 
of the word illaudati in this place. 
Aulus Gellius tells as they said it 
was a very improper word, and not 
strong enough to express the detest- 
ation of so wicked a person, who, 
because he used to sacrifice strangers 
of all nations, was not only unwor- 
thy of praise, but ought to be de- 
tested and cursed by all mankind : 
" Nonnulli Grammatici aetatis su- 
" perioris, in quibus est Cornutus 
" Annaeus, baud sane indocti neque 
" ignobiles, qui commentaria in Vir- 
" gilium composuerunt, .... illau- 
" dati parum idoneum esse verbum 
" dicunt, neque id satis esse ad fa- 
" ciendam scelerati hominis detes- 
1 ' tationem : qui quod hospites om- 
" nium gentium immolare solitus 
<c fuit, non laude indignus, sed de- 
*' testatione, execrationeque totius 
" generis humani dignus esset." 
Aulus Gellius vindicates the use of 
this word two different ways. In 
the first place he says, hardly any 
man is so profligate, as not some- 
times to do or say something which 
is praiseworthy : and therefore one 
who cannot be praised at all must 
be a most wicked wretch. He adds, 
that, as to be without blame is the 
highest pitch of virtue, so to be 
without praise is the greatest degree 
of wickedness. He proves from 



GEORG. LIB. III. 223 

Cui non dictus Hylas puer, et Latonia Delos ? ™£**j$\!^^y§ffl 



Homer, that the greatest praises 
are contained in words exclusive of 
imperfection, and therefore that a 
term which excludes praise is the 
most proper that can be found for 
blaming or censuring. He observes 
also that Epicurus expressed the 
greatest pleasure by a privation of 
pain, and that Virgil in like man- 
ner called the Stygian lake inama- 
bilis: for as illaudatus signifies a 
privation of all praise, so inamabUis 
expresses a privation of all love. 
" De illaudato autem duo videntur 
" responderi posse. Unum est ejus- 
" modi : nemo quisquam tam efferis 
" est moribus, quin faciat aut dicat 
t{ nonnunquam aliquid quod lau- 
" dari queat. Unde hie antiquis- 
" simus versus vice proverbii cele- 
" bratus est, 

*' *7sr«v. 

" sed enim qui omni in re atque 
" omni tempore laude omni vacat, 
" is illaudatus est : isque omnium 
" pessimus deterrimusque est: sic- 
" uti omnis culpa? privatio incul- 
" patum faci£. Inculpatus autem 
u instar est absolutae virtutis : illau- 
" datus igitur quoque finis est ex- 
" tremss malitiae. Itaque Homerus 
" non virtutibus appellandis, sed 
" vitiis detrahendis laudare ampliter 
" solet. Hoc enim est 

■ Yiuoa, fAuvris afiuuav. 

« Et item illud, 

EvB-' ovk av /3^/^avra 'fiats ' AyafAtpvovit 

" OuVt xoiravrcotra-avT , ovb* obx WtXavra 
" paxioSect. 

" Epicurus quoque simili modo 
" maximam voluptatem detractio- 
" nem privationemque omnis dolo- 



" ris definivit his verbis : o^cg rov 
iC [tiyzSovg rZv koovm, *i srxvrog rov ecX- 
" yovvrog V7rileci^t<rig. Eadem ratione 
" idem Virgilius inamabilem dixit 
•• Stygiam paludem. Nam sicut 
" illaudatum kxtm amoris crri^w* 
" detestatus est." In the second 
place he says that laudare signified 
anciently to name; therefore illauda- 
tus or illaudabilis signifies one who 
ought not to be named, as it was 
formerly decreed by the Asiatic 
states, that none should ever name 
the man who had set fire to the 
temple of Diana at Ephesus. " Al- 
" tero modo illaudatus ita defen- 
" ditur. Laudare significat prisca 
" lingua nominare appellareque* 
" Sic in actionibus civilibus auctor 
" laudari dicitur, quod est nominari. 
" Illaudatus enim est quasi illauda- 
" bilis, qui neque mentione aut me- 
" moria ulla dignus, neque unquam 
" nominandus est. Sicuti quondam 
" a communi consilio Asia? decre- 
" turn est, uti nomen ejus, qui 
" templum Dianae Epjiesiae incen- 
" derat, ne quis ullo in tempore 
" nominaret." Some are of opinion 
that Virgil here reflects on Iso- 
crates, who composed an Oration 
in praise of Busiris. But the Ora- 
tion of Isocrates does not seem so 
much to be designed in praise of 
Busiris, as to expose one Poly crates, 
who had undertaken to praise him, 
and yet had not said any one thing 
of him, which deserved commend- 
ation. Quintilian thinks Poly- 
crates composed this Oration, ra- 
ther to shew his wit, than for any 
other purpose : " Equidem illos qui 
" contra disputarunt, non tam id 
" sensisse quod dicerent, quam ex- 
" ercere ingenia materia? difficul- 
" tate credo voluisse ; sicut Poly- 
" cratem cum Busirim laudaret, et 
" Clytemnestram : quanquam is, 



22i 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



SJcSfSffiSi^oSSS? Hippodameque, humeroque Pelops insignis 
eburno, 



" quod his dissimile non esset, com- 
(C posuisse orationem. quae est habita 
" contra Socratem, dicitur." There- 
fore if Virgil designed to reflect on 
any orator, it must rather have 
been on Polycrates than on Jso- 
crates. After all, I believe Virgil 
intended to express a great abhor- 
rence of the cruelties ascribed to 
Busiris, by this negative of praise, 
as he has called the Stygian lake 
inamabilis in two different places. 
The first is in the fourth Georgick : 
• Tardaque palus inamabilis unda. 

The other is in the sixth iEneid : 

Tristique palus inamabilis unda. 

And in the twelfth iEneid he uses 
in like manner illcetabile, to express 
the horrid murmur of a distracted 
city : 

Attulit hunc illi coecis terroribus aura 
Commixtum clamorem, arrectasque im- 

pulit aures 
Confusae sonus urbis, et illrrtabile mur- 
mur. 

Nor are examples of this way of 
speaking wanting among other au- 
thors. Cicero seems to be speaking 
in praise of Quintus Pompeius, when 
he calls him a not contemptible 
orator : <f Q. enim Pompeius, non 
*' contemptus orator, temporibus illis 
<( fuit, qui summos honores, homo 
t( per se cognitus, sine ulla commen- 
" datione majorum est adeptus." 
Livy commends Polybius by calling 
him an author not to be despised: 
" Hunc regem in triumpho ductum 
" Polybius, haudquaquam spernen- 
ff dus auctor tradit." Longinus 
also, when he extols the sublimity 
of the style of Moses, calls him no 
vulgar author: T«vt*j y.oti o rZv 'loi>- 



Imtdi) TV* roy Suov dir/ctftiv Kocrot tJ» 
ufy'ctv lyva^Hrt, Kct%i(p^nv } tvbvq Iv rJf lia-- 
Qohr, y^d-^/xg tm vojtav, EiTTtv o 0soj, 
<pW. ri ; yivz<r§a ty^S, y-eci iyinro. yir- 

go-3*> yH, Kott iyiv&To. Dr. Trapp, in 
his note on this passage, justly ob- 
serves that it " is a figure of which 
' ' we have frequent instances ; espe- 
(e cially in the holy Scriptures. 
" Thus Gen. xxxiv. 7- Which thing 
(C ought not to be done ; speaking of 
" a great wickedness. And Rom. ii. 
" 28. The most flagrant vices axe 
" called things which are not con- 
" venient." 

6. Hylas puer.~\ Hylas was be- 
loved by Hercules, and accompa- 
nied him in the Argonautic expe- 
dition. But going to draw water 
he fell in, which gave occasion to 
the fable of his being carried away 
by the nymphs. He is mentioned 
in the sixth Eclogue : 

His adjungit, Hvlan nautas quo fonte 

relictum 
Clamassent : ut littus Hyla, Hyla, omne 

sonaret. 

He narrCd the nymph {for who but gods 

coitd tell ? ) 
Into whose arms the lovely Hylas fell ; 
Alcides wept in vain for Hylas lost, 
Hylas in vain resounds through all the 

coast, 

Lord Roscommon. 

The loss of Hylas is the subject 
of the thirteenth Idy Ilium of Theo- 
critus. 

Latonia Delos.] Delos is one of 
the islands in the iEgean sea, called 
Cyclades. It is fabled that this 
island floated till Latona brought 
forth Apollo and Diana there, after 
which time it became fixed. 

7. Hippodameque humeroque Pe- 
lops insignis eburno, acer equis.~] 
Hippodame or Hippodamia was 



/ 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



225 



Acer equis? Tentanda via est, qua me quoque agSS^S^Xeir 

from the ground, and having 
DOSSim gained the victory co be cele- 

bratedin the mouths of men. 

Tollere humo, victorque virum volitare perora. i first of aii, if my Hfe c<>e» 

7 i * but last, returning into my 

Primus ego in patriam mecum, modo vita su- °w ,lcountr y. 



persit, 



10 



the daughter of CEnomaus, king of 
Elis and Pisa. She was a princess 
of exceeding great beauty, and had 
many lovers. But it being foretold 
by an oracle, that CEnomaus should 
be slain by his son-in-law, he of- 
fered his daughter to him who 
should overcome the king in a 
chariot-race, his own horses being 
begotten by the winds, and pro- 
digiously swift. But on the other 
side, if the unfortunate lover lost 
the race he was to be put to death. 
In this manner thirty lost their 
lives. But this did not discourage 
Pelops the son of Tantalus, who 
was greatly in love with her. He 
accepted the dangerous conditions, 
and contended with the father. In 
this race the king's chariot broke, 
by which accident he lost his life, 
and Pelops gained the victory and 
his beauteous prize. 

Tantalus, the father of PelopSj 
had invited the gods to a banquet, 
at which, having a mind to try 
their divinity, he dressed his son, 
and set his flesh before them. All 
the gods abstained from this horrid 
food, except Ceres, who eat the 
shoulder. Jupiter afterwards re- 
stored Pelops to life, and gave him 
an ivory shoulder, instead of that 
which had been eaten. 

Q. Victorque virum volitare per 
ora.~\ Thus Ennius : 

- Volito docta per ora virum; 

10. Primus ego in patriam, &c] 
The Poet, having in the preceding 
paragraph expressed his contempt 
of the fabulous subjects of the Greek 



Poets, and shewn a desire of sur 
passing them, now proceeds to pro- 
pose to himself a subject worthy of 
his genius, not founded on fables* 
but on true history. The historical 
facts which he designs to celebrate 
are the victories of the Romans, 
under the influence of Augustus 
Caesar. He poetically describes this 
victory of his over the Greek Poets, 
by a design of building a temple to 
Augustus, on the banks of the 
Mincius, and officiating himself as 
priest. In the mean time he says 
he will proceed in the present work, 
and speak of cattle. 

This boast of Virgil, that he will 
be the first, who brings the Muses 
from Helicon into his own country, 
must be understood of Mantua, not 
of Italy in general : for this glory 
belongs to Ennius, who first wrote 
an epic Poem, after the manner of 
Homer. Thus Lucretius : 

Ennius ut noster ceeinit, qui primus 

amoeno 
Detulit ex Helicone perenni fronde corc- 

nam 
Per gentes Italas hominum quae clara 

clueret. 

Though perhaps our Poet might 
not think Ennius to have succeeded 
so well, as to be thought to have 
gained the favour of the Muses ; 
and therefore flattered himself that 
he might be the first Roman, who 
obtained that glory. It must not 
be omitted in this place, that Virgil 
designed a journey into Greece, a 
little before his death. This part 
therefore probably was written after 
the Georgicks were finished, 
2 G 



i>26 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



will bring with me the Muses 
from the top of the Aonian 
mountain : I first will bring 
to thee, O Mantua, the Idu- 
mean palms ? and will erect 
a marble temple on the green 
plain, near the water, where 
Mincius wanders with slow 
windings, and covers the 
banks with tender reeds. In 
the midst shall Caesar stand, 
and be the god of the temple. 
In honour of him, will I, be- 
ing conqueror, and adorned 
with Tyrian purple. 



Aonio rediens deducam vertice Musas : 
Primus Idumaeas referam tibi, Mantua, palmas : 
Et viridi in campo templum de marmore ponara 
Propter aquam, tardis ingens ubi flexibus errat 
Mincius, et tenera praetexit ar undine ripas. 15 
In medio mihi Caesar erit, templumque tenebit. 
Iili victor ego, et Tyrio conspectus in ostro 



11. Aonio vertice.] Aonia was 
the name of the mountainous part 
of Boeotia, whence all Boeotia came 
to be called Aonia. In this country 
was the famous mountain Helicon, 
sacred to the Muses. 

12. Idumccas palmas.'] Idumsea, 
or the land of Edom, was famous for 
palms. He therefore uses Idumaean 
palms for palms in general, as is 
common in poetry. Palms were 
used for crowns in all the games, 
as we find in the fourth question 
of the eighth book of Plutarch's 
Symposiacs : where he enquires 
why the sacred games had each 
their peculiar crown, but the palm 
was common to all. 

In the King's manuscript it is 
Primus et Idumeas. 

16. In medio mihi Ccesar erit, 
templumque tenebit.] It was the 
custom to place the statue of that 
god, to whom the temple was de- 
dicated, in the middle of it. The 
other statues, which he mentions, 
are to adorn the temple. 

17. 17/?.] " i. e. in illius honor em. 
" So in the next verse but one, mihi 
" for in meum konorem." Dr. Tkapp. 

In the Cambridge, and in one of 
the Arundelian manuscripts it is illic 
instead of illi. Pierius found the 
same reading in the Roman, Medi- 
cean, and other very ancient manu- 
scripts. He says that in the Lom- 
bard manuscript the c has been 
erased, which he greatly condemns. 
He interpret* illic to mean Mantua: 



<e illic, hoc est Mantua?, in patria 
" mea, quo primus ego Musas ab 
u Aonia deduxero." He thinks 
however that illi may be put for 
illic, as in the second iEneid : Illi 
mea tristia facta : which the ancient 
grammarians have observed to be 
put for illic. But notwithstanding 
the opinion of these ancient gram- 
marians, I cannot but think that 
even in that passage of the jEneid 
illi signifies not there, but to him. 
Priamus had just reproached Pyr- 
rhus, as being of a less generous 
temper than his father Achilles : to 
which Pyrrhus replies: " Then 
" you shall go on this errand to 
' ' my father Achilles ; and be sure 
'■ you tell him of my sad actions, 
" and how Pyrrhus degenerates 
" from him : 

" Referes ergo haec, et mincius ibis 

" Pelidae genitori : illi mea tristia facta, 
" Degenerernque Neoptolemum narrare 
" memento." 

Surely illi relates to Achilles, tell 
him of my sad actions, not tell there 
my sad actions, for no place has 
been mentioned. 

Tyrio conspectus in ostro.] Those 
who offered sacrifice, amongst the 
Romans, on account of any victory, 
were clothed in the Tyrian colour. 
It is not certain what colour this 
was. Some call it purple and others 
scarlet. Perhaps it was a deep 
crimson ; for human blood is com- 
monly called purple by the Poets. 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



227 



Centum quadrijugos agitabo ad flumina currus. 



drive a hundred fiur-horoed 

chariots alonjr. the river. For 

-, ., . , , -myr me all Greece shall leave Al- 

Cuncta mini, Alpheum nnquens, lucosque Lvlo- pheus and the g rov?s of m -- 

lorchus, and contend in run- 
ning, and with the hard 
c<estus. 



lorchi, 
Cursibus, et crudo decernet Graecia csestu. 



20 



18. Centum quadrijugos agitabo ab 
flumina currus.] Varro, as he is 

quoted by Servius, tells us that 
in the Circensian games, it was 
anciently the custom to send out 
twenty-five missus or matches of 
chariots in a day, and that each 
match consisted of four chariots: 
that the twenty-fifth match was set 
out at the charge of the people, by 
a collection made amongst them, 
and was therefore called aerarius: 
and that when this custom was laid 
aside, the last match still retained 
the name of aerarius. It is likewise 
to the ancient custom of celebrating 
these games on the banks of rivers, 
that the Poet alludes by the words 
ad flumina. 

19. Cuncta mihi, Alpheum linquens , 
lucosque Molorchi.] The Poet here 
prophesies that the games which 
he shall institute, in honour of 
Augustus, will be so famous, that 
the Greeks will come to them, and 
forsake their own Olympic and Ne- 
meaean games. 

Alpheus is the name of a river of 
Peloponnesus, arising in Arcadia, 
passing through the country of Elis, 
and falling into the sea below the 
city Olympia, which was famous for 
the Olympic games, instituted by 
Hereules in honour of Jupiter. The 
victors at these games were crowned 
with wild olive. 

Molorchus was a shepherd of 
Cleone, a town in Peloponnesus, 
between Corinth and Argos, near 
Mantinea. Hercules having been 
hospitably received by this shep- 
herd, in gratitude slew the Nemesean 
or Cleonean lion, which infested that 



country ; and the Nemeasan games 
were therefore instituted in honour 
of Hercules. The victors were 
crowned with parsley, or perhaps 
smallage, triXivov. 

20. Cursibus.~]. Running was one 
of the five Olympic games, called 
the Pentatklum. The others were 
wrestling, leaping, throwing the 
quoit, and fighting with the ccestus. 

Decernet.] Pierius says it is de~ 
ceriet in the Lombard, and some 
other manuscripts. I find decertet 
in the King's, one of the Arunde- 
lian, in both Dr. Mead's manu- 
scripts, and in some old printed 
copies. 

Ccestu.] The ccestus was com- 
posed of leathern thongs fastened to 
the hands, and filled with lead and 
iron, to add force and weight to the 
blow. Thus Theocritus: 

'T/AviofAif AjjSaf rt xcti alyto^u Aios viw, 

Kaw^a xai QoSegov TioXvhtvxta rav\ »£S^/> 

XtTgas Wtfyvfyivret fiterois (loioiri* Ipeltriv 

Oi S', \irtl ouv enrtigetmv ixuorvv«»ro (iei/eut 
Xugas, net) zftgt yvtct ftetKgot/s t'/Xi%a* iftav" 

vat 
*E; (/tffffov ffivuyav, tpovot uXkeiXotvi zrviov* 

rtg. 

And Virgil, in his fifth iEneid : 

Tantorum ingentia septem 

Terga boum plumbo insuto, ferroque ri- 
gebant. 



* Turn satus Anchisa caestus pater extulit 
aequos, 
Et paribus palmas amborum innexuit 
armis. 

Those who desire to know the man- 
ner of fighting with this weapon, 
2 G 2 



22S 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



I myself, having my head 
adorned with leaves of the 
shorn oHve, will bring pre- 
sents. Even now I rejoice to 
lead the solemn pomps to the 
temple, and to see the oxen 
slain : or how the scene shifts 
with achangingface,andhow 
the interwoven Britons lift 
up the purple tap strv. On 
the doors will I describe the 
battle of the Gangarides, and 
the arms of conquering Ro- 
mulus, in gold andsolid ivory : 



Ipse caput tonsse foliis ornatus olivae 
Donaferam. Jam nunc solemnes ducerepompas 
Ad delubra juvat, csesosque videre juvencos : 
Vel scena ut versis discedat frontibus ; utque 
Purpurea intexti tollant aulaea Britanni. 25 
In foribus pugnam ex auro solidoque elephanto 
Gangaridum faciam, victorisque arma Quirini : 



may find it described at large, in 
the twenty^second Idyllium of The- 
ocritus, and in the fifth JEneid. 

21. Oliva?.'] OllvcB seems to be 
put here for the wild olive, with 
which the victors at the Olympic 
games used to be crowned. 

22. Solemnes ductre pompas.] The 
pomps were images of the gods, 
carried in procession to the circus. 
Thus Ovid : 

Sed jam pompa venit : Unguis animisque 
favete. 
Tempus adest plausus: aurea pompa 
venit. 
Prima loco fertur passis Victoria pennis : 
Hue ades; et meus hicfac, Dea, vincat 
amor. 
Plaudite Neptuno, nimium qui creditis 
undis : 
Nil mihi cum pelago : me mea terra 
capit. 
Plaude tuo, miles, Marti : nos odimus 
arma. 
Pax juvat, et media pace repertus amor. 
Auguribus Phoebus : Phoebe venantibus 
adsit : 
Artifices in te verle, Minerva, manus. 
Ruricolae Cereri, teneroque adsurgite 
Baccho : 
Pollucem pugiles: Castora placet eques. 
Nos tibi, blanda Venus, puerisque po- 
tentibus arcu 
Plaudimus: inceptisannue, Diva, meis. 

25. Purpurea intexti tollant aulcea 
Britanni."] This is understood by 
some to mean, that real Britons 
held up the tapestry in which the 
figures of their countrymen were 
interwoven. Thus May: 

. Or how the Britaines raise 

That purple curtaine which themselves 
displaies. 



Dryden understands it only of Bri- 
tish figures, which seem to hold 
it up : 

Which interwoven Britons seem to raise, 
And shew the triumph which their shame 
displays. 

And Dr. Trapp : 

And how th' inwoven Britons there sup- 
port 
The purple figur'd tapestry they grace. 

27- Gangaridum.'] The Ganga- 
rides were Indians living near the 
Ganges. These people were not 
subdued at the time, when Virgil 
wrote his Georgicks. Catrou justly 
observes that Virgil must have 
added this and the preceding verse, 
long after he had first published 
the Georgicks. This whole alle- 
gory of the temple seems to have 
been added by the Poet in the year 
of Rome 734, when history informs 
us, that Augustus subdued the In- 
dians, and the Parthians, and re- 
covered the eagles which had been 
lost by Crassus. This was the year 
before the death of Virgil : whence 
we may observe, that he continued 
to correct and improve this noble 
Poem, till the time of his death. 

Victorisque arma Quirini.] Ruaeus 
allows that it was debated in the 
Senate, whether Augustus or Ro- 
mulus should be the name of him, 
who before was called Octavianus. 
But he observes that this happened 
in the year of Rome 727, three 
years after the publication of the 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



229 



Atque hie undantem bello, magnumque fluen- 

tem 
Nilum, ac navali surgentes acre column as. 
Addam urbes Asi«e domitas, pu!<umque Nipha- 

ten, 30 

Fidentemque fuga Parthum, versisque sagittis, 
Et duo rapta manu di verso ex hoste trophaea ; 



and here will I represent the 
Nile waving with war, and 
g-eatly flowing, a d co umnl 
rising with na\a' brass. I 
will add the conquered cities 
ofAs ; a,andsu' clued Niphates, 
and the > arthian trust ng in 
flight, and in arrows shot 
backward : and the two tro- 
phies snatched with his own 
hand from two different ene- 
mies : 



Georgicks. Hence he concludes 
that it was a private flattery of 
Virgil, and had no relation to what 
was debated in the Senate. But if 
we agree with Catrou, that this 
verse was inserted in the year 734, 
we can have no doubt, but that Vir- 
gil alluded to the debate already 
mentioned. 

28. Undantem hello, magnumque 
fluentem Nilum.] This relates to 

the victory obtained over the Egyp- 
tians and their allies, commanded 
by Anthony and Cleopatra, in the 
year of Rome 724. 

29. Navali surgentes cere colum- 
nas.] Servius tells us, that Augus- 
tus, having conquered all Egypt, 
took abundance of beaks of ships, 
and made four columns of them, 
which were afterwards placed by 
Domitian in the Capitol, and were 
to be seen in his time. 

30. Pulsumque Niphafen."] Ni- 
phates is the name of a mountain 
and river of Armenia. The people 
of this country were subdued after 
the decree of the Senate, by which 
the name Augustus was given to 
Octavianus : for Horace mentions 
this as a new victory, and at the 
same time gives him the name of 
Augustus : 



Potius nova 



Cantemus Augusti trophaea 
Caesaris, et rigidum Niphaten, 

M edumque Humeri gentibus additum 
Victis, minores volvere vortices. 

31. Fidentemque fuga Parthum, 



versisque sagittis.'] The Parthians 
used to iiy from their enemies, and 
at the same time to shoot their ar- 
rows behind them. Thus Ovid : 

Tergaque Parthorum, Romanaque pec* 
tora dicam ; 
Telaque,abaversoquae jacithostisequo. 
Quid fugis ut vincas ; quid victo, Parihe 
relinques ? 

The manner of the Parthians fight- 
ing is excellently described by Mil- 
ton : 



Now the Parthian ki 



"g 



In Ctesiphon hath gather'd all his host 
Against the Scythian, whose incursions 

wild 
Have wasted Sogdiana; to her aid 
He marches now in haste ; see, though 

from far, 
His thousands, in what martial equipage 
They issue forth, steel bows, and shafts 

their arms ; 
Of equal dread inflight, or in pursuit; 
All horsemen, in which fight they most 

excel. 



He saw them in their forms of battle 
rang'd, 

How quick they wheel'd, and flying be- 
hind them shot 

Sharp sleet of arrowy show'r against the 
face 

Of their pursuers, and overcame by 
flight. 

32. Duo rapta manu diverso ex 
hoste trophcea.] Servius will have 
this to mean the Gangarides in the 
east, and the Britons in the west : 
but it does not appear from history 
that Augustus ever triumphed over 
the Britons, or even made war 
upon them. La Cerda proposes 



230 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



imphed "yirfrom e bSh Bisque triumphatas utroque ab littore gentes. 

shores. There shall stand also r. i <. n •• i «J 

the statues breathing in Pa- btabunt et ram iapicies, spirantia signa. 

rian marble, the offspring of ° 

^ ar r a a C ce S de a s?end h ed £Sj£ Assaracl proles, deinissseque ab Jove gentis 35 

piter, 



another interpretation. He ob- 
serves, that rapta manu expresses 
Augustus Caesar's having obtained 
these victories in person. Now it 
appears from Suetonius, that he 
managed only two foreign wars in 
person, the Dalmatian and the 
Cantabrian: " Externa bella duo 
*■ omnino per se gessit, Dalmati- 
if cum adolescens adhuc, et, Anto- 
*' nio devicto, Cantabricum. Re- 
" liqua per legatos administravit" 
Ruaeus understands the Poet to 
speak of the two victories obtained 
over Anthony, the first at Actium, 
a promontory of Epirus, on the 
European shore : the other at Alex- 
andria, on the African shore ; and 
that this is meant by utroque ab 
littore, in the next verse. Catrou 
thinks this solution of Ruaeus a 
very judicious one: but yet he 
thinks he can give a more solid 
explication of this passage, from 
Dion Cassius. This author relates 
that Augustus made war twice on 
the Cantabrians, and on the Astu- 
rians, and twice in Asia. He went 
in person against the Spaniards 
the first time they revolted, and 
they were subdued the second time 
by ' his lieutenant Carisius. He 
twice subdued the Parthians, and 
both times commanded his armies in 
person. Here, says Catrou, are the 
two trophies obtained by the hand 
of Augustus, making war in person 
on two different nations, the Spani- 
ards and the Parthians. 

33. Bisque triumphatos utroque ab 
Uttore gentes.] In several of the 
old printed editions it is a instead 
of at. 

Servius, Ruaeus, and Catrou, un- 



derstand this to relate to the vic- 
tories mentioned in the preceding 
verse. La Cerda thinks the Poet 
here introduces another picture; 
and proposes to paint the triumphs 
of Cgesar, after he had made an 
universal peace. The two shores 
therefore mean the whole extent 
of the Roman dominions, from 
east to west. 

34. Parii lapidesJ] Paros is an 
island in the JSgean sea, famous 
for the finest marble. Hence, in the 
third yEneid, he calls this island the 
snow-white Paros, <( niveamque Pa- 
'* ron." 

35. Assaraci proles, demissaque ab 
Jove gentis nomina.] Here he com- 
pliments Augustus, with adorning 
his temple with the statues of the 
Trojan ancestors, from whom he 
was fond of being thought to 
have descended. The genealogy of 
this family, according to Homer, 
from Jupiter to ^Eneas is thus : 

Jupiter 
Dardanus 
Ericthonius 
Tros 



llus Assaracus Ganvmedes 

i 

Capys 

Anchiscs — Venus 

I 

iEneas 



Laomedon 



I | I I I 

Tithonus Priamus Lampus Clytion Hicetaoa 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



231 



Nomina, Trosque parens, et Trojae Cynthius SS^™ fo^* •£$! 

anrttw Detested em y shall ftar the 

uuciui. furies, and the dismal river 

T *J # • fi' -r* • Cocytus, aid the twisted 

Jnviaia mtelix t arias, amnemque severum snakes of ixion, and the rack- 

■ ing wheel, and the ever roll- 

Cocyti metuet, tortosque Ixionis angues, ing stone. 
Immanemque rotam; et non exuperabilesaxum. 



Aaodavov ecu zfpurov rixtro ntyiknytpira. 

Zivs. 
Krifffft $1 Auo%av!*iv y \<ru etlvu"lktos ion 
'Ey wtViep zfifoXurro, zsrokts (liootuv uvS-p&i- 

'Akk' «$' v*UDUtt,s uxsov zroXutribuKev*!^. 
Aafiavo; au r'ixeS-' ulov 'Epi%$6viov Ban- 
ktja. 

Ipua !> 'Egi%&oviof rixtre l^utttriv avaxra. 
Tpuo; a au TPtTg -UaiSis af&ufiovts i^iyivovrt, 
Ikog r , ' Affffaouxos rt, xa) avriS-iog Taw- 

Of dti xakkterros yiviro B-vr,reuv avSpuvrm. 
Tev xa) avtiottyxvro Sto) Au atva%oiuuv, 
Kakkio; tivtxa oto, 7/ aS-a.va,roi<Ti ftgruti. 
lkof o' au rixtS-' ulov ufiu/u.ova Aaoft'i^ovra. 
Aaop,io*uv V apa Tt&uvov r'txiro, Tlpiapiv rt, 
Aup,<rov rt, Kkvrit* &', 'ixtraova r o%ov 

"Aovtoi. 
'Afffupcixot Ti KaVuv, o §' tip' 'Ay%l<rnv rixt 

•a tutu. 
Autxp V 'Ayxi<r>is , Tipta.fjt.oi S* 'inx W E«- 

rooa o*7ov. 

The son of iEneas was called Asca- 
nius, or lulus, from whence the 
Julian family derived their name. 

36. TrojcE Cynthius auctor.'] A- 
pollo was born in Delos, where is 
the mountain Cynthus. He is said 
to have built Troy, in the reign of 
Laomedon. In the sixth iEneid 
he calls Dardanus the founder of 
Troy : 

Ilusque, Assaracusque, et Trojce Darda- 
nus auctor. 

And in the eighth : 

Dardanus, Iliacae primus pater urbis et 
auctor. 

37. Invidia infelix, &c] Servius 
seems to understand the Poet's 
meaning to be, that he will write 
such great things as to deserve 



envy; but at the same time that 
the envious shall forbear detract- 
ing, for fear of punishment in the 
other world. I rather believe with 
La Cerda and others, that he speaks 
of those who envy the glories of 
Augustus Caesar, of whom there 
must have been many at that time 
in Rome. 

This and the two following verses 
are wanting in one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts. 

38. Cocyii.] Cocytus is the name 
of one of the five rivers of hell. 

Tortosque Ixionis angues, imma- 
nemque rotam.] Ixion attempted to 
violate Juno, for which crime he 
was cast into hell, and bound, with 
twisted snakes, to a wheel which is 
continually turning. 

Pierius says it is orbes in the Ro- 
man manuscript, instead of angues: 
but this reading would be a tauto- 
logy, for the wheel is mentioned in 
the very next verse. 

39. Non exuperabile saxum.] Si- 
syphus infested Attica with robbe- 
ries, for which he was slain by 
Theseus, and condemned in hell 
to roll a stone to the top of a hill, 
which always turns back again, be- 
fore it reaches the top. This punish- 
ment of Sisyphus is beautifully 
described by Homer : 

Kai fih tittup iifft7lov xparig fa yi * 

i%ovra, 
Aaav fiao-raXavra •artkugiov afittporipy^iv. 
*Hr« i fih, rxtiprrS/nvos x %p 9 U rt irotrU 

TS, 

AS«y ccvu ZSitrxt sror) koipov' cikk' fat 

ftikkoi 
"Ax^av vxipSakiuv, ror aroirrpi^acxt 
x(>araii$. 



232 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



In the mean while, let us pur- 
sue the untouched woods and 
lawns, the hard task wh ch 
you, Maecenas, have com- 
manded me to undertake. 
Without thee my mind be- 
gins nothing that is lofty ; be- 
gin then, break slow delays ; 
Cythaeron calls with loud cla- 
mours, and the dogs of Tav- 
getus, and Epidaurus the 
tamer of horses, and the voice 
doubled by the assenting wood 
re-echoes. But afterwards I 
will attempt to sing the ar- 
dent fights of 



Interea Dryadum sylvas, saltusque sequamur 
Intactos, tua. Maecenas, haud mollia jussa. 41 
Te sine nil altum mens inchoat : en age segnes 
Rumpe moras : vocat ingenti clamore Cythaeron, 
Taygetique canes, domitrixque Epidaurus equo- 

rum : 
Et vox assensu nemorum ingeminata remugit. 45 
Mox tamen ardentes accingar dicere pugnas 



Aurtf, ttrur* zTi%o*bi xukiv^trd Xacc; uvou- 
Autuo oy &•$/ mtraexi wraivo/utvof* xarot 
"Eppttv ix ftiXiuv, xovii) 0* ix xgarog louou. 

I turn'd my eye, and, as I turn'd, sur- 
vey'd 

A mournful vision ! the Sisyphyan shade; 

With many a weary step, and many a 
groan, 

Up the high hill he heaves a huge round 
stone : 

The huge round stone, resulting with a 
bound, 

Thunders impetuous down, and smokes 
along the ground. 

Again the restless orb his toil renews, 

Dust mounts in clouds, and sweat de- 
scends in dews. 

Mr. Pope. 

43. Vocat ingenti clamore Cythce- 
ron.~] Virgil poetically expresses 
his earnestness to engage in the 
subject of the present book, by say- 
ing he is loudly called upon by the 
places famous for the cattle of which 
he intends to treat. 

Cythaeron is a mountain of Bceo- 
tia, a country famous for cattle. 
Servius says it is a part of Par- 
nassus, from which however it is 
thirty miles distant. 

44. Taygetique canes.] See book 
ii. ver. 488. This mountain was 
famous for hunting. 

Domitrixque Epidaurus equorum.] 
Servius places Epidaurus in Epirus; 
for which he has been censured by 
several authors, who place it in Pe- 
loponnesus. But La Cerda vindi- 



cates Servius, and observes that 
there was an Epidaurus also In 
Epirus; which he takes to be the 
place designed by the Poet, because 
he has celebrated Epirus, in other 
passages, as breeding fine horses : 

Et patriam Epirum referat : 
And 

Eliadum palmas Epirus equarum. 

Ruaeus contends that the Pelopon- 
nesian Epidaurus is here meant, 
and affirms that all Argia, of which 
Epidaurus was a city, was famous 
for horses. He confirms this by a 
line in this very Georgick, of which 
La Cerda has quoted but the half 
part, where Mycenae, a city also of 
Argia, is celebrated equally with 
Epirus : 

Et patriam Epirum referat, fortesque 
Mycenas. 

I am persuaded that Ruaeus is in 
the right, by a passage in Strabo, 
where he says Epidaurus is famous 
for horses : 'a^xx&x 2' Ui* it pur* 

t»)5 neAoTrevvaVoy Borxiittxc-i o 

tiei vouxi tief^/tXus, xxl jtxXtfx avotg, xxt 
i7T7rot$ rdig i7r7roQxrxig. 'Eri ol xxt to 

y'iVOS TUV 'tTTTTaV U£l?OV TO 'AgXXOlXOt, XX- 

SeCTTtp xxi to 'AgyoAocov, xxi to 'Ekioxv-' 
£iov. Strabo cannot well be under- 
stood to speak in this place of any- 
other, than the Peloponnesian Epi- 
daurus, 

46. Mox tamen ardentes accinsar, 
&c] In the King's manuscript it 
is etiam instead of tamen. 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



233 



Caesaris, et nomen fama tot ferre per annos, 47 
Tithoni prima quot abest ab origine Caesar. 
Seu quis Olympiacae miratus praemia palmae, 



Caesar, and to transmit the 
glory of his name through as 
many years as Caesar is dis- 
tant from the first origin of 
Tithonus. If any one studi- 
ous of the Olympian palm 



Here he is generally understood 
to mean, that he intends, as soon 
as he has finished the Georgicks, 
to describe the wars of Augustus, 
under the character of iEneas. Mr. 

B is quite of another opinion : 

" This passage," he says, " the 
" commentators understand of the 
*'^Eueid; but it is plainly meant 
« of the fourth Georgick. There 
" he describes the ardentes pugnas, 
" the civil wars betwixt the same 
" people for the sake of rival kings. 
" In this sense the passage is very 
" sublime, to promise to introduce 
" such a matter in talking of bees j 
" but in one poem to promise an- 
" other is low 7 , and unworthy of 
" Virgil, and what never entered 
" into his imagination." But 

surely Mr. B must be mistaken 

in this piece of criticism, for the 
whole introduction to this Georgick 
is a prelude to the JLneid : and I 
do not see how the fights of the 
bees can be understood to be a 
description of the wars of Caesar ; 
which the Poet expressly says he 
designs to sing. 

48. Tithoni prima quot abest ab 
origine Ca>sar.] Servius interprets 
this passage, that the fame of Au- 
gustus shall last as many years, as 
were from the beginning of the 
world to his time. He thinks Ti- 
thonus is put for the sun, that is, 
for Tithan. Others understand 
the Poet to mean that the fame of 
Augustus shall last as many years, 
as were from Tithonus, the son of 
Laomedon, to Augustus. But to 
this is objected, that this is too 
small a duration for the Poet to 
promise, being no more than a 



thousand years. And indeed the 
fame of Virgil's Poem, and of Au- 
gustus, has lasted much longer al- 
ready. Servius seems to have no 
authority for making Tithonus sig- 
nify the sun : nor can we imagine 
Virgil means the sun, unless we 
suppose Tithoni to be an erroneous 
reading for Titani, or Titanis. But 
I do not know that so much as 
one manuscript countenances this 
alteration. It must therefore be 
Tithonus, the son of Laomedon, 
and elder brother of Priamus, that 
is meant. I must own it seems 
something strange that he should 
choose to mention Tithonus, from 
whom Augustus was not descended, 
when Anchises or Assaracus would 
have stood as well in the verse. 1 be- 
lieve the true reason of this choice 
was, that Tithonus was the most 
famous of all the Dardan family. 
It is said that Aurora fell in love 
with this Tithonus, and carried him 
in her chariot into Ethiopia, where 
she had Memnon by him. As for 
the short space of time between the 
ages of Tithonus and Augustus, it 
may be observed that the Poet does 
not say as many years as Ccesar is 
distant from Tithonus,, but as many 
years as Ccesar is distant from the 
first origin of Tithonus, that is, from 
Jupiter, the author of the Dardan 
race, which is going as far back as 
the Poet well could. 

49. Seu quis, &c] Here the 
Poet enters upon the subject of 
this book; and in the first place 
describes the marks of a good cow. 

Olympiacce palmce] The Olympic 
games were thought the most ho- 
nourable : and the victors carried 
2 11 



234 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



breeds horses, or if any one 
breeds strong bullocks for 
the plough, let him chiefly 
consider the bodies of the 
mothers. The best form for 
a cow is to have a rough look, 
a great head, a long brawny 
neck, and dewlaps hanging 
down from her chin to her 
very knees. Her side should 
be exceeding long: all her 

Sarts large : her feet also, and 
er ears should be hairy, 
under her crooked horns. 



Pascit equos ; seu quis fortes ad aratra ju- 

vencos ; 50 

Corpora praecipue matrum legat. Optima torvae 

Forma bovis, cui turpe caput, cui plurima 

cervix, 
Et crurum terms a mento palearia pendent. 
Turn longo nullus lateri modus : omnia magna : 
Pes etiam, et camuris hirtae sub cornibus aures. 



palms in their hands, which was 
esteemed the noblest trophy of their 
victory. Thus Horace : 

Sunt quos curriculo pulverem Olyrnpi- 

cura 
Collegisse juvat, metaque fervidis 
Evitata rotis, palmaque nobilis. 

50. Puscit equos.] The ancients 
were exceedingly curious in breed- 
ing horses for the Olympic games : 
and it was thought a great com- 
mendation to excel in that skill. 

51. Optima torvce forma bovis."] 
Pliny says they are not to be de- 
spised for having an unsightly look; 
" Non degeneres existimandi etiam 
". minus laudato aspectu :" and Co- 
lumella says the strongest cattle 
for labour are unsightly ; < ' Apen- 
'.' ninus durissimos, omnemque 
" difficultatem tolerantes, nee ab 
" aspectu decoros." 

52. Turpe caput.] Fulvius Ursi- 
nus observes that Homer has used 
uvcciSU for great. Servius says turpe 
signifies great. Grimoaldus also in- 
terprets it magnum et grande caput. 
May translates turpe caput also great 
head. Ruaeus interprets it deforme 
propter magnitudinem. Dryden has 
sour headed ; and Dr. Trapp, 

Her head unshap'd and large. 

The prose writers recommend the 
largeness of a cow's forehead. 
Thus Varro, latis frontibus : and 
Columella, frontibus latissimis : and 



Palladius, alta fronte, oculis nigris 
et grandibus. 

Plurima cervix.] Plurima signi- 
fies much or plentiful, that is, in 
this place, long and large. See the 
note on plurima, ver. 187* of the 
first Georgick. Varro says cervici- 
bus crassis ac longis. 

53. Crurum terms a mento palea- 
ria pendent.] The low hanging of 
the dewlaps is mentioned also by 
the prose writers. Thus Varro, 
a collo palearibus demissis: and Co- 
lumella, palearibus et caudis am- 
plissimis: and Palladius, palearibus 
et caudis maximis. Dryden, instead 
of knees, has thighs, which I believe 
are understood to belong only to 
the hinder legs : 

Her double dew-lap from her chin de- 
scends : 

And at her thighs the pond'rous" burden 
ends. 

54. Longo nullus lateri modus: 
omnia magna."] This length of the 
body and largeness of all the limbs 
is commended also by Varro; " Qt 
" sint bene composite, ut integris 
" membris oblongae, amplae . . . 
" corpore amplo, bene costatos, la- 
" tis humeris, bonis clunibus :" and 
by Columella ; " Vaccae quoque 
" probantur altissimae formae lon- 
" gaeque, maximis uteris." 

55. Pes etiam, et camuris hirtce 
sub cornibus aures.] Jt has been 
generally understood that the Poet 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



235 



Nee mihi displiceat maculis insignis et albo, 56 *° r t1 



am 1 displeased if she is 

spotted wjth white, if she re- 

, , • • . i fuses the yoke, and is some- 

Aut juga detrectans, lnterdumque aspera cornu, timesuniucky withherhom, 



means the foot should be large j 
and the verses are pointed thus : 

Omnia magna : 

Pes etiam : et camuris hirtae sub corni- 
bus aures. 

Thus May translates : 

All must be great: yea even her feet, 

her eare 
Under her crooked homes must rough 

appeare : 

And Dryden : 

Rough are her ears, and broad her horny 
feet. 

And Dr. Trapp : 



All parts huge ; 



Her feet too; and beneath her crankled 

horns 
Her ears uncouth and rough. 

But La Cerda justly observes that 
Virgil, who follows Varro in all 
the other parts of this description, 
is not to be supposed absolutely to 
contradict him in this one particu- 
lar. Besides no one writer speaks 
of broad feet as any excellence in 
a cow; and indeed the smallness 
of this creature's foot, in proportion 
to the bulk of her whole body, is a 
great advantage in treading in a 
deep soil. Varro says expressly the 
foot must not be broad : " Pedibus 
<e non latis, neque ingredientibus 
" qui displodantur, nee cujus un- 
" gulae divaricent, et cujus ungues 
f< sint leves et pares." And Co- 
lumella says, «' Ungulis modicis, et 
" modicis cruribus." 

The hairiness of the ears is men- 
tioned by the other authors. Varro 
and Columella say pilosis auribus. 
Palladius says the ears should be 
bristly : aure setosa. 



56. Maculis insignis et albo.] Some 
take this to signify a white cow 
spotted with other colours; but 
the best commentators understand 
these words to mean a cow spotted 
with white. May has translated 
this passage : 

I like the colour spotted, partly white. 

Dryden has, 

Her colour shining black, but fleck'd with 
white. 

Dr. Trapp translates it, 



Nor shall her form 



Be disapproved, whose skin with spots of 

white 
Is vary'd. 

Varro gives the first place to a 
black cow, the second to a red one, 
the third to a dun, the fourth to a 
white : " Colore potissimum nigro, 
" dein rubeo, tertio heluo, quarto 
" albo ; mollissimus enim hie, ut 
° durissimus primus." He says also 
the red is better than the dun, 
but either of them is better than 
black and white ; that is, as I take 
it, a mixture of black and white : 
" De mediis duobus prior quam 
" posterior melior, utrique pluris 
" quam nigri et albi." Columella 
says the best colour is red or brown : 
" Colore rubeo vel fusco." Virgil's 
meaning seems to be, that though 
white is not esteemed the best 
colour, yet he does not disapprove 
a cow that has some white spots 
in her. 

57. Detrectans."] Pierius says it 
it detractans in the Roman, the 
Medicean, and in most of the an- 
cient manuscripts. I find detractans 
in the King's and in both Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts. 

2 H 2 



236 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and resembles a bull ; and if 
she is tail, and sweeps the 
gTound with her tail, as she 
goes along. The proper age 
for love, and just connubiais, 
begins after four years, and 
ends before ten. The rest of 
their time is neither fit for 
breeding, nor strong enough 
for the plough. In the mean 
time, whilst your herds are in 
the flower of youth, let loose 
the males: be early to give 
your cattle the enjovment of 
love, 



Et faciem tauro propior ; quaeque ardua tota, 
Et gradiens ima verrit vestigia cauda. 
iEtas Lucinam, justosque pati Hymenaeos 60 
Desinit ante decern, post quatuor incipit annos : 
Caetera nee foeturse habilis, nee fortis aratris. 
Interea, superat gregibus dum laeta juventas, 
Solve mares : mitte in Venerem pecuaria primus. 



58. Qucrque ardua tota.'] Thus 
Columella; " Vaccae quoque pro- 
*' bantur altissin.ae formse :" and 
Palladius; " Sed eligemus forma 
" altissima." 

59. Et gradiens ima verrit vestigia 
cauda.] The length of the tail is 
mentioned by Varro; " Caudam 
" profusam usque ad calces :" and 
by Columella ; " Caudis amplissi- 
* c mis:" and by Palladius 5 "Caudis 
*' maximis." 

6l. Desinit ante decern, post qua- 
tuor incipit annos.] Varro says it 
is better for the cow not to admit 
the bull till she is four years old ; 
and that they are fruitful till ten, 
and sometimes longer: " Non 
" minores oportet inire bimas, ut 
!'■ trimae pariant, eo melius si qua- 
" drimae. Pleraeque pariunt, in 
" decern annos, quaedam etiam in 
" plures/' Columella says they 
are not fit for breeding after ten, 
nor before two : " Cum excesserint 
" annos decern, foetibus inutiles 
" sunt. Rursus minores bimis iniri 
" non oportet. Si ante tamen con- 
" ceperint, partum earum removeri 
" placet, ac per triduum, ne la- 
" borent, ubera exprimi, postea 
" mulctra prohiberi." Palladius 
says they breed from three to ten : 
" iEtatis maxime trimae, quia usque 
" ad decennium foetura ex hisproce- 
" det utilior. Nee ante aetatem tri- 
" mam tauros his oportet admitti." 

63. Superat gregibus dum lata ju- 



ventas, solve mares.] Pierius says 
it is juventas in the Medicean, and 
in most of the ancient manuscripts. 
The common reading is juvenilis. 

Servius takes this passage to 
relate to the females ; but the Poet 
speaks here of putting them early 
to breed, whereas he had before 
said that a cow should not breed 
before she was four years old, 
which is rather a later age than 
is generally prescribed. I take the 
keta juventas, and the mitte in Ve- 
nerem pecuaria primus to relate to 
the males, which he would have 
early admitted to the females. Pal- 
ladius says the bulls should be 
very young, and gives the marks 
of such as are good : " Nunc tauros 
" quoque, quibus cordi est armenta 
" construere, comparabit, aut his 
" signis a tenera aetate summittet. 
" Ut sint alti, atque ingentibus 
" membris, aetatis mediae, et magis 
" quae juventute minor est, quam 
" quae declinet in senium. Torva 
lc facie, parvis cornibus, torosa, 
'* vastaque cervice, ventre sub- 
" stricto." Columella says a bull 
ought not to be less than four, or 
more than twelve years old : " Ex 
" his qui quadrimis minores sunt, 
" majoresque quam duodecim an- 
" norum, prohibentur admissura : 
" illi quoniam quasi puerili aetate 
" seminandis armentis parum ha- 
" bentur idonei : hi, quia senio 
" sunt erToeti." 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



2S7 



Atque aliam ex alia generando suffice prolem. 
Optima quoeque dies rniseris mortalibus aevi 6*6 
Prima fugit: subeunt morbi, tristisque senectus : 
Et labor et durae rapit inclementia mortis. 
Semper erunt, quarum mutari corpora malis. 
Semper enim refice : ac, ne post amissa requiras, 
Anteveni, et sobolem armento sortire quotannis. 
Nee non et pecori est idem delectus equino. 
Tu modo, quos in spem statues summittere 

gentis, 
Praecipuum jam inde a teneris impende laborem. 
Continuo pecoris generosi pullus in arvis 75 



and secure a succession of 
them by generation. The 
best time of life flies hrst 
away from miserable mortals ; 
diseases succeed, and sad old 
age ; and labour, and the in- 
clemency of severe death car- 
ries them away. There will 
always be some, whose bodies 
you will choose to have 
changed. Therefore conti- 
nually repair them : and, 
that you may not be at a loss 
when it is too late, be before- 
hand ; and provide a new 
offspring for the herd every 
year. Nor does it require 
less care to choose a good 
breed of horses. But bestow 
your principal diligence, from 
the very beginning, on those 
which you are to depend upon 
for the increase of their spe- 
cies. The colt of a generous 
breed from the very first 



65. Suffice."} In one of the 
Arundel ian manuscripts it is confice. 

69. Semper erunt, quarum mutari 
corpora malis.] In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is enim in- 
stead of erunt. In the same manu- 
script, as also in the King's and in 
the Cambridge manuscripts, and in 
some of the old printed editions, it 
is mavis instead of malis. Pierius 
reads mavis ,- but he says it is malis 
in the ancient copies, and thinks 
this reading more elegant. 

Columella says the best breeders 
are to be picked out every year, and 
the old and barren cows are to be 
removed, and applied to the labour 
of the plough : " Sed et curandum 
" est omnibus annis in hoc aeque, 
lc atque in reliquis gregibus pecoris, 
" ut delectus habeatur : nam et 
" enixae, et vetustae, quae gignere 
" desierunt, summovendae sunt, et 
" utique taurae, quae locum fcecun- 
" darum occupant, ablegandae, vel 
" aratro domandae, quoniam la- 
" boris, et operis non minus, quam 
" juvenci, propter uteri sterilitatem 
" patientes sunt." 



70. Semper enim.] 
" itaque" Servius. 



For semper 



71. Anteveni, et sobolem.'] " In 
" the Medicean, and in the Lorn- . 
" bard manuscripts it is ante veni 
" sobolem, without et. In some 
" copies it is anteveni, in one word." 
Pierius. 

72. Nee non, &c] The Poet now 
proceeds to speak of horses, and 
begins with describing the charac- 
ters of a colt, which is to be chosen 
to make a good stallion. 

73. Statues.] So it is in the Ro- 
man, and some other manuscripts, 
according to Pierius. Grimoaldus, 
La Cerda, and others read statuis. 

75. Continuo.] It signifies from 
the very beginning. Thus in the first 
Georgick : 

Continuo has leges, aeternaque foedera 

certis 
Imposuit natura locis, quo tempore pri- 

mum 
Deucalion vacuum lapides jactavit in 

orbem. 

That is, immediately from the very 
time that Deucalion threw the stones : 
and 

Continuo in sylvis magna vi flexa do- 

matur 
In burim, et curvi formam accipit ulmus 

aratri. 



5238 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



S ^"on^iS^enS Altius ingreditur, et mollia crura reponit. 

pasterns. He is the first that -pj . . n 

dares to lead the way, and .rnmus el ire viam, et fiuvios tentare minaces 

venture through threatening 



That is, at the very first, whilst it is 
young, the elm is bent: and 

Continuo ventis surgentibus aut freta 

ponti 
Incipiunt agitata tumescere. 

That is, immediately, as soon as the 
winds are beginning to rise. In like 
manner it signifies in this place 
that a good horse is to be known 
from the very first, as soon almost 
as he is foaled. Virgil follows 
Varro in this : " Qualis futurus sit 
" equus, e pullo conjectari potest." 

Generosi.] La Cerda reads gene- 
rosus, in which he seems to be sin- 
gular. 

76. Altius ingreditur.] Servius in- 
terprets this " cum exultatione qua- 
" dam incedit." Thus also Gri- 
moaldus paraphrases it : ' ' Primum 
" omnium pulli animus ferox, et 
" excelsus existimabitur ab incessu 
« sublimi, videlicet, si cum exulta- 
" tione quadam excursitet." In this 
they are followed by May, who 
translates it walke proudly : and by 
Dr. Trapp, who renders it with 
lofty port prances. Dryden has pa- 
raphrased it in a strange manner : 

Of able body, sound of limb and wind, 
Upright he walks, on pasterns firm and 

straight ; 
His motions easy, prancing in his gait. 

I rather believe the Poet means 
only that the colt ought to have 
long, straight legs, whence he must 
necessarily look tall as he walks. 
Thus Columella: " aequalibus, at- 
" que altis, rectisque cruribus." 

Mollia crura reponit."] In the 
Cambridge manuscript it is refiectit 
instead of reponit. 

I believe the Poet means by repo- 
nit the alternate motion of the legs. 
The epithet mollia may signify ei- 



ther the tenderness of the young 
colt's joints, as May has translated 
it: 

— Their soft joynts scarce knit : 

or that those which are naturally 
most flexible are best; which Dry- 
den seems to express by his motions 
easy; and Dr. Trapp by his pliant 
limbs. Ennius has used the same 
words to express the walking of 
cranes : 

Perque fabam repunt, et mollia crura re- 
ponunt. 

Grimoaldus has paraphrased it thus : 
" Deinde, si non dure, non inepte, 
" non crebra crurum jactatione 
" procurrat : sed qui alterno, et 
e * recte disposito crurum explicatu 
" faciles, apteque flexibiles tibias 
" reponat." 

77- Primus et ire viam, &c] 
Servius understands this of the 
colt's walking before his dam : but 
it seems a better interpretation, 
that he is the first, amongst other 
colts, to lead the way. Thus Gri- 
moaldus paraphrases it : " Turn 
" etiam, si praeire caeteros, viaeque 
' ' palustris dux, et anteambulo fieri 
" gestiat." Most of the commen- 
tators understand this passage in 
the same sense. 

Varro says it is a sign that a 
colt will prove a good horse, if he 
contends with his companions, and 
is the first amongst them to pass 
a river : " Equi boni futuri signa 
" sunt, si cum gregalibus in pabulo 
" contendit, in currendo, aliave 
" qua re, quo potior sit : si cum 
" flumen transvehundum est, gregi 
" in primis praegreditur, ac non 
« respectat alios." Columella 
speaks much to the same pur- 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



239 



Audet, et ignoto sese coramittere ponti 



and trust himself on an un- 
known bridge : nor is he 

Nec vanos horret strepitus. Illi ardua cervix, SdR, ? f ft ™ in noises - m 



pose: " Si ante gregem procurrit, 
w si lascivia et alacritate interdum 
" et cursu certans aequales exupe- 
" rat, si fossam sine cunctatione 
" transilit, pontem,flumenque traris- 
" cendit." 

78. Ponti.] « Ponto. In the Ro- 
" man, the Lombard, and in some 
" other manuscripts it is ponti : for 
" what have horses to do with the 
" sea ? but with rivers and bridges 
" they are often concerned. Though 
(t in Calabria and Apulia they try 
" the mettle of their horses, by 
" driving them down to the sea, 
" and observing whether they look 
" intrepid at the coming in of the 
" tide, and therefore accustom the 
" colts to swim. It is ponto how- 
" ever in the Medicean copy." 
Pierius. 

I find ponto in the King's, the 
Cambridge, one of the Arundelian, 
and in one of Dr. Mead's manu- 
scripts ; in the old Nurenberg edi- 
tion, and in an old edition printed 
at Paris in 1494. But ponti is ge- 
nerally received. Columella, who 
follows our Poet, mentions a bridge, 
not the sea, in the quotation at the 
end of the note on the preceding 
verse. May reads ponto : 

And dare themselves on unknowne seas 
to venture. 

Dryden reads ponti : 

To pass the bridge unknown : 

And Dr. Trapp: 

Unknown bridges pass. 

79- Nec vanos horret strepitus.~\ 
In the King's and in one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is varios in- 
stead of vanos. I find the same 



reading also in some of the old 
printed editions. 

Columella says a good colt is in- 
trepid, and is not affrighted at any 
unusual sight or noise : " Cum vero 
" natus est pullus, confestim licet 
" indolem aestimare, si hilaris, si in- 
" trepidus, si neque conspectu, no- 
" vaeque rei auditu terretur." 

Illi ardua cervix.] Quintilian cen- 
sures Virgil for interrupting the 
sense with a long parenthesis: 
" Etiam interjectione, qua et Ora- 
" tores et Historici frequenter utun- 
" tur, ut medio sermone aliquem 
"inserant sensum, impediri solet 
" intellectus, nisi quod interponitur, 
" breve est. Nam Virgilius illo 
" loco quo pullum equinum descri- 
" bit, cum dixisset, Nec vanos horret 
" strepitus compluribus insertis, alia 
« figura quinto demum versu redit, 

" Turn siqua sonum procul anna de- 

M dere, 
" Stare loco nescit." 

But I do not see that the sense is 
here interrupted. By nec vanos 
horret strepitus, the Poet means that 
a good colt is not apt to start at the 
rustling of every leaf, at every little 
noise, that portends no danger. 
But by turn si qua sonum, &c. he 
means that the colt shews his mettle 
by exulting at a military noise, at 
which he erects his ears, bounds, 
paws, and is scarce able to contain 
himself. It not only is unnecessary, 
but would even be dull poetry, to 
give a regular, orderly description 
of a horse from head to tail. Pal- 
ladia is very methodical in what 
he says on this subject : " In ad- 
u missaria quatuor spectanda sunt, 
u forma, color, meritum, pulchri- 
" tudo." This is very well in prose, 



240 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and beautiful grey 
is white 



caput, brevis alvus, obesaque 



and his head is small, his belly A rrruf nmnu a 

short, and his back broad : and ArgUlUmque 
hisspritely breast swells luxu- 
riantly with rolls of brawn : terga I gQ 
the best colour is a bright bay, 

the worst Luxuriatque toris animosum pectus : lionesti 



Spadices, glaucique; color deterrimus albis, 



but had Virgil proceeded in the 
same manner, we might perhaps 
have commended his exactness, but 
should never have admired his poe- 
try. Dr. Trapp says, " These words 
« illi ardua cervix to glaucique 
« should be in a parenthesis f but, 
as his translation is printed, the pa- 
renthesis includes only what is said 
of the colour. 

By ardua is meant that the colt 
carries his head well, not letting it 
hang down. Horace has the same 
epithet, when he describes a good 
horse : 

Regibus hie mos est ; ubi equos mercan- 

tur, apertos 
Inspiciunt : ne si facies, ut ssepe, decora 
v Molli fulta pede est, emptorem inducat 
hiantem, 
Quod pulchrae clunes, breve quod caput, 
ardua cervix. 

80. Argutumque caput.] May 
translates this short-headed, Dryden 
sharp-headed, Dr. Trapp his head 
acute. I have rendered it his head 
is small, which agrees with what 
Varro has said, " caput habet non 
" magnum:" and Columella, "Cor- 
" poris vero forma constabit exiguo 
" capite :" and Palladius, " Pul- 
" chritudinis partes hae sunt, ut sit 
" exiguum caput et siccum." Ho- 
race commends a short head: " breve 
" quod caput." 

81. Luxuriatque toris animosum 
pectus.'] The tori are brawny swell- 
ings of the muscles. Varro says 
the breast should be broad and full : 
" pectus latum et plenum." Colu- 
mella says it should be full of 
brawny swellings of the muscles: 
" musculorum toris numeroso pec- 



" tore." Palladius says it should 
be broad : u pectus late patens." 
Virgil's description of the breast is 
more expressive than any other, 
and he adds the epithet animosum 
to shew that this luxuriance of 
brawn in the muscles denotes the 
spirit ani fire of the horse. But 
the translators have unhappily 
agreed to leave out this noble epi- 
thet. May has only broad and full 
breasted: Dryden only, brawny his 
chest, and deep : and Dr. Trapp, his 
chest with swelling knots luxuriant. 

82. Spadices.] It is very difficult 
to come to an exact knowledge of 
the signification of those words, by 
which the ancients expressed their 
colours. Spadix signified a branch 
of a palm, as we find it used by 
Plutarch in the fourth question of 
the eighth book of his Symposiacs : 
Kat roi ot>x.a> /tot fAvvsptovivuv Iv roYg 'At- 
rix.o7g ot.nyvux.ag svxy%o$, on Tsr^arag h 
A>jA» &Yi<nvg aymoc z?oim, «5T£e-xa« 
x-Xcedov tcv hgov QotviKOg, y xoct S^-«^«| 

wopcLo'Svi. We learn from Aulus 
Gellius, that the Dorians called a 
branch of a palm plucked off with 
the fruit, Spadix; and that the 
fruits of the palm being of a shining 
red, that colour came to be called 
phoeniceus and spadix : " Phceni- 
tc ceus quem tu Graece <p«w«ov dix- 
" isti, noster est, et rutilus, et spa- 
" dix phcenicei o-vvavvpog, qui factus 
" Graece noster est, exuberantiam 
" splendoremque significat ruboris, 
" quales sunt fructus palmae arboris 
" non admodum sole incocti, unde 
" spadicis et phcenicei nomen est : 
" spadica enim Dorici vocant avul- 
" sum e palma termitem cum fruc- 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



341 



Et gilvo. Turn si qua sonum procul arma dedere, 



and dun. And then if the 
noise of arms is heard from far, 



" tu." Plutarch also, in the place 
just now cited, gives us to under- 
stand that the colour in question 
was like the beautiful redness of a 
human face : l O yovv fixo-tXivg, as <px~ 
<rtv, ayxTrfcxq dixCpi^ivras rov Tli(>i7ruTYi- 
rtKtv tyiXorotyov NixoXxov yXvxvv ovtx tS 
tiSu, pxoivov al ra> ^kh rav orvpxToi;, 
oteiirXiav ol to "STpotrwrov i7ri(p6m'<rrovT<><; 

lf>V%[AXTO$ , TXq {Ciyl<TU,$ KXI XXXXlTX*; 

*M (pcivnt&ccXciVM NixeXuovg avopxtrs. 

Hence it appears plainly that the co- 
lour which the ancients called phce- 
niceus, or spadix, was a bright red, 
but we do not know that any horses 
are exactly of such a colour : though 
the ancients might as well apply red 
to horses, as we to deer. The co- 
lours which come nearest to it seem 
to be the bay, the ches?iui, and the 
sorrel. Perhaps all these mignt be 
contained under the same name, for 
the ancients do not seem to have 
been so accurate in distinguishing 
such a variety of colours, as the 
moderns. I have translated the 
word spadix, bay, in this place, be- 
cause it seems to approach to the 
colour of the spadix, as the ancients 
have described it, and because the 
word bay seems to be derived from 
fixU, or fixiov, which is sometimes 
also used for a branch of a palm, as 
we find in the twelfth chapter of 
St. John's Gospel : "EXxQov rx (Zxix 

ruv (potviKM, kxi ItiixB-ov tU VTrxvr^rtv 
ciina, Kxt zxgxfyv, 'Qo-xwol. Bx'ig and 
fixiov are interpreted by Hesychius 

Glauci.^ The commentators are 
not agreed about the interpretation 
of this word. I do not well under- 
stand what Servius means by 
" Glauci autem sunt felineis oculis, 
" id est quodam splendore perfusis." 
Surely he cannot think the Poet is 
speaking of the colour of a horse's 



eye. Grimoaldus puts rutili for 
glauci. But rutilus is reckoned 
among the red colours by Aulus 
Gellius : " Fulvus enim, et flavus, 
'* et rubidus, et phceniceus, et ruti- 
" lus, et luteus, et spadix appella- 
" tiones sunt nifi coloris, aut acuen- 
'• tes eura quasi incendentes, aut 
" cum colore viridi miscentes, aut 
" nigro infuscantes aut virenti sen- 
" sim albo illuminantes." And in- 
deed our Poet himself has added it 
as an epithet to fire in the first 
Georgick : 

Sin maculae incipient rutilo immiscerier 
igni. 

And in the eighth iEneid : 

His informatum manibus, jam parte po- 
ll' ta 

Fulmen erat, toto genitor quae plurima 
caelo 

Dejicit in terras, pars imperfecta mane- 
bat. 

Tres imbris torti radios, tres nubis aquosa? 

Addiderant, rutili tres ignis et alitis 
Austri. 

Thus rutilus seems to be much the 
same colour with spadix : but I be- 
lieve it cannot be proved that glau- 
cas was ever used to express any 
sort of red colour. La Cerda says 
that as spadix signifies a bright bay, 
so glaucus signifies darker bay, such 
as the leaves of willows have. But 
if he means by baius the same co- 
lour that we call bay, I cannot ima- 
gine by what strength of fancy that 
learned commentator can imagine 
the leaves of willows to be of any 
sort of bay. Ruaeus concludes from 
what Aulus Gellius has said con- 
cerning glaucus, that it means what 
the French call pommele ardois, that 
is, a dappled grey. May translates 
this passage : 



Let his colour be 



Bright bay or grey : 
21 



242 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



S n hreSs h hS««fSd Stare loco nescit: micatauribus,ettremitartus; 

all his joints quiver, 



And Dryden : 



his colour grey, 



For beauty dappled, or the brightest bay : 
And Dr. Trapp : 

Best for colour is the bay, 

And dappled. 

But I am afraid dappled determines 
no colour ; but may be applied to 
bay, as well as to grey. Let us 
now examine what is to be found 
in the ancient writers concerning 
this colour. Homer's common epi- 
thet for Minerva is blue-eyed : yXxv- 
x.co7ctg 'a&jvu. In this case glaucus 
seems to be used for a bluish grey. 
Virgil himself uses it to express the 
colour of willow-leaves, in the se- 
cond Georgick : 

Glauca canentia fronde salicta. 

And in the fourth Georgick : 

Et glaucas salices : 

And of reeds, in the tenth iEneid : 

Quos patre Benaco, velatus arundine 

glauca 
Mincius infesta ducebat in aequora pinu, 

The colour of willows and reeds is 
a bluish green, approaching to grey. 
Much of the same colour are the 
leaves of the greater Celandine, 
which Dioscorides calls vnnyXavxu : 
XtXidovtov yzyx kxvXov xvir^t ■srvi%vx7ov, 
i) xxi yu^ovx. l<r%vbv e%ovrx ■srxpxtyvabxg 
<pi>XXav yi<rrxg' tyvXXx oy.oi.oc /ixr^x^ico, 

TpvtyipCOTiPX ylV TOt TX TCV %iXl$OVlOV XXI 

v7royXuvitci tkv %poxv. Plutarch speak- 
ing of the different colours of the 
moon in an eclipse, according to 
the different times of the night, 
says that about day -break it is of a 
bluish colour: which occasioned 
the Foets and Empedocles to call 
the moon yXxvxaxtg : 'AAA' ovk 'l<riv, 
Z <plXz QeigvuKYi, -&o\Xoig rxg IkXuttovo-xs 



%Poxg xyitQuv. Kxt dtxigove-iv xvrxg 

OVTUg 61 yo&YiycCTIKo) KXTX VgOVflV KXl 

agxv xtyo^iQovrzg ctv city to~t;ipxg sxAs<wjj, 
(pxinrxt yzXxivx (tuvwg x^i Tg/rjjs apxg 
x.ui viyio-itxg' xv ^£ yxr'ti, rovro §>j ro \-7tt- 
(poivi<r<rov tycri, y.xi zrvp >ccii T&vpaTrov 
U7ro ol foooyYig apxg xxi nytTitxg, xvtrx- 
rxi to IgvSviyx. xxi r'zXog Jj^jj "srpog %u 
XxyZxvii %poxv xvxvoitdii xxi ftX^OTrw, 
city' qg sv xxi yxXifX, yXxvxto7riv xvrhv « 
■zrowrcc} xxi 'l-yxi^oxXm ecvxxxXovvTXl. 

The colour which Plutarch means 
in this passage seems to be a bluish 
grey. Aulus Gellius seems to con- 
found green and blue together, for 
he says that when Virgil mentioned 
the green colour of a horse, he might 
as well have expressed it by the 
Latin word cceruleus, as by the 
Greek word glaucus. " Sed ne vi- 
" rifiis quidem color pluribus ab 
" illls, quam a nobis, vocabulis di- 
" citur. Neque non potuit Virgi- 
" lius colorem equi significare viri- 
(< dem volens, cseruleum magis di- 
" cere equum quam glaucum : sed 
" maluit verbo uti notiore Graeco, 
" quam inusitato Latino. Nostris 
cc autem Latinis veteribus caesia 
u dicta est quae a Graecis yXxvxumg, 
"■ ut Nigidius ait de colore caeli 
<f quasi cselia." From all these 
quotations I think it appears, that 
the ancients meant by glaucus a 
colour which had a faint green 
or blue cast. Now as no horse 
can be properly said to be either 
blue or green, we may conclude 
that the colour meant by Virgil is 
a fine grey, which has a bluish 
cast. But I do not see how Ruaeus 
could gather from Aulus Gellius, 
whose words I have related at 
length, that this grey was dappled. 
It must however be allowed that 
the dappled grey is the most beau- 
tiful. 

Albis.~\ S. Isidore informs us 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



213 



Coliectumque 
ignem : 



premens volvit sub 



nnrihiie an d snorting he rolU the col- 
nai iuus ]ected fire under hJs nogtHIfc 

85 



that albus and candidus are very 
different: candidus signifying a 
bright whiteness, like snow: and 
albus a pale or dirty white : " Can- 
" didus autem et albus invicem sibi 
" differunt. Nam albus cum quo- 
" dam pallore est, candidus vero, 
" niveus et pura luce perfusus." 
I am not perfectly satisfied with 
this distinction : for Virgil himself 
frequently uses albus exactly in the 
same sense as he uses candidus. In 
the second Georgick he uses it for 
the whiteness of the finest wool : 

Alba neque Assyrio fuscatur lana veneno. 
And again in the same Georgick : 

Hinc albi, Clitumne, greges. 
And in the third Georgick : 

Continuoque greges villis lege mollibus 
albos. 

And in the third iEneid : 

Nigram hyemi pecudem, Zephyris felici- 
bus albam. 

In the seventh iEneid it is used for 
the whiteness of the teeth of a lion : 

Ille pedes tegmen torquens immane le- 

onis, 
Terribili impexum seta, cum dentibus 

albis 
Indutus capiti. 

And of a wolf in the eleventh : 

'■ Caput ingens oris hiatus 

Et mala? texere lupi cum dentibus albis. 

In the fifth iEneid it is used for the 
whiteness of bones blanched on a 
rock: 

Jamque adeo scopulos advecta subibat, 
Difficiles quondam, multorumque ossibus 
albos. 



In the seventh iEneid, for the 
whiteness of hairs in old age : 

In vultus sese transform at aniles, 

Et frontem obscoenam rugis arat : induit 

albos 
Cum vitta crines. 

And again in the ninth : 

Omnia longaevo similis, vocemque, colo- 

remque 
Et crines albos. 

In the second Eclogue we have 
both candidus and albus in the same 
signification : 

Quamvis ille niger, quamvis tu candidus 

esses : 
O formose puer, nimium ne crede colori. 
Alba ligustra cadunt, vaccinia nigra le 

guntur. 

In the fourth Georgick lilies are 
called alba ; and surely no one will 
say that flower is of a dirty white, 
or not sufficiently bright, to deserve 
the epithet of candidus. 

Albaauc circum 



Lilia. 



And in the twelfth JEneki the 
blushes of the beautiful Lavinia are 
compared to ivory stained with 
crimson, or lilies mixed with roses. 
And here the lilies are called alba, 
which being compared to the fair 
complexion of this lady, I hope will 
not be supposed to be of a dirty 
white : 

Accepit vocem lacrymis Lavinia matris, 
Flagrantes perfusa genas : cui plurimus 

ignem 
Subjecit rubor, et calefacta per ora cu- 

currit. 
Indum sanguineo veluti violaverit ostro 
Si quis ebur, vel mixta rubent ubi lilia 

multa 
Alba rosa : tales virgo dabat ore colore*. 

2 i 2 



244 P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

o H nhUrr g VtVh h iiid e r nd ^ nces Densa juba, et dextroj aetata recumbit in armo. 



But what I think will put it past 
all dispute, that Virgil made no 
difference of colour between albus 
»nd candidus, is that, in the eighth 
iEneid, the very same white sow, 
which in ver. 45. he called alba, 
is called Candida in ver. 82. and is 
said also in this last verse to be of 
the same colour with her pigs, to 
which the epithet albo is applied : 

Littoreis ingens inventa sub ilicibus sus, 
Triginta capitum foetus enixa, jacebit ; 
Alba, solo recubans, albi circum ubera 
nati. 

Ecce autera subitum, atque oculis irsira- 

bile monstrum : 
Candida per sylvam cum fcetu con color 

albo 
Procubuit, viridique in littore conspicitur 

stis. 

I have dwelt so long on this sub- 
ject, because almost all the com- 
mentators have agreed to approve 
of this distinction, which I believe 
I have sufficiently shewn to be 
made without any good foundation. 
What led them into this error seems 
to be, that it would otherwise ap- 
pear an absurdity in Virgil, to dis- 
praise a white horse in his Geor- 
gicks, and in his twelfth iEneid, to 
mention it as a beauty in the horses, 
which drew the chariot of Turnus, 
that they were whiter than snow : 

Poscit equos, gaudetque tuens ante ora 

frementes, 
Pilumno quos ipsa decus dedit Orithyia ; 
Qui candore nives anteirent, cursibus au- 



But they did not observe one parti- 
cular, Avhich might have saved them 
the trouble of making this distinc- 
tion. These very horses, which 
are said to be whiter than snow, 
have the epithet albis bestowed on 
them, a few lines after : 

• Bigis it Turnus in albis. 



Virgil however does not contradict 
himself; for though he admires the 
beauty of these snowy horses, yet 
there was no necessity, that he 
should approve the same colour in 
a stallion. White was esteemed by 
the ancients, as a sign of less na- 
tural strength, than was discovered 
by other colours. 

83. Gilvo.] S. Isidore explains 
gilvus, to be the colour of honey, 
but whitish : " Gilvus autem meli- 
" nus color est subalbidus." I take 
this to be what we call dun. May 
translates it flesh-colour: Dryden 
dun : and Dr. Trapp sorrel. 

Turn si qua sonum procul arma 
dedere, stare loco nescit.] We find 
some expressions like this of Virgil, 
in that noble description of a horse, 
in the book of Job : " He paweth 
" in the valley, and rejoiceth in his 
" strength : .... he swalloweth the 
" ground with fierceness and rage : 
u neither belie veth he that it is the 
" sound of the trumpet. He saith 
<e among the trumpets, Ha, ha ; and 
"he smelleth the battle afar off, 
" the thunder of the captains, and 
" the shouting." 

84. Micat auribus.~\ Pliny says 
the ears discover the spirit of a 
horse, as the tail does that of a 
lion : " Leonum animi index cauda, 
" sicut et equorum aures : namque 
■* et has notas generosissimo cuique 
" natura tribuit." 

85. Collectumque premens volvit 
sub naribus ignem.] It is fremens 
instead o£ premens in the Cambridge 
manuscript. Pierius says it has 
been altered to fremens in the Me- 
dicean copy, but it was premens 
before, as he finds it also in other 
copies which he looks upon to be 
the most correct. 

Wide nostrils and frequent snort - 
ings are great signs of mettle in a 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



S45 



At duplex agitur per lumbos spina, cavatque 
Tellurem, etsolido graviter sonat ungula cornu. 
Talis Amyclaei domitus Pollucis habenis 



A double spine runs along hi* 
loins ; and his hoof turns up 
the ground, and sounds deep 
with solid horn. Such was 
Cyllarus, who wa3 tamed by 
the reins of Amyclean Pollux j 



horse. Thus it is expressed in the 
book of Job : " The glory of his 
n nostrils is terrible." Varro says 
the nostrils should not be narrow : 
" Naribus non angustis." Colu- 
mella says they should be open: 
"naribus apertis:" with which 
Palladius also agrees, who says, 
■' naribus patulis." 

86. Detisa juba, et dextro j aetata 
recumbit in armo.~\ Thus Varro; 
" Non angusta juba, crebra, fusca, 
* subcrispa, subtenuibus setis im- 
" plicata in dexteriorem partem cer- 
"vicis:" and Columella; "Densa 
'* juba, et per dextram partem pro- 
« fusa." 

87. Duplex spina.~\ In a horse, 
that is in good case, the back is 
broad, and the spine does not stick 
up like a ridge, but forms a kind 
of furrow on the back. This seems 
to be what is meant by duplex spina, 
which is also mentioned by Varro ; 
" Spina maxime duplici, sin minus 
" non extanti :" and by Columella; 
" Spina duplici." 

88. Sonat. ,] It is quatit in the 
Roman manuscript, according to 
Pierius. 

89- Talis Amyclcei domiUis Pollu- 
cis habenis Cyllarus.'] Amyclae was 
a city of Laconia, where Castor 
and Pollux were educated. 

Servius thinks that Pollux is put 
here for Castor, by a poetical li- 
cence. Pollux being famous for 
fighting with the cestus, not for the 
management of horses, which was 
Castor's province. Most of the 
commentators give up this passage 
as a slip of the Poet's memory, 
Pollux being allowed to be the 
horseman by the general consent of 



antiquity. Thus Homer in the ele- ' 
venth Odyssey : 

K«) Afdw Ctiov <rw Ivvha^iov zva^axoirii. 
"H 'p v<xo Tuvha^tu xj«Tijfl^«v' iyunara 

Katrroga 9-' \-7r<7rabtt.(tn xu) vtv\ ayaS-ev II«- 

Xvhivxtx. 
With graceful port advancing now I 

spied 
Leda the fair, the god-like Tyndar's 

bride: 
Hence Pollux sprung who wields with 

furious sway 
The deathful gauntlet, matchless in the 

fray; 
And [Castor glorious on th' embattled 

plain 
Curbs the proud steed, reluctant to the 

rein. 

Mb. Pope. 

To the same purpose Theocritus is 
quoted in his Atoarxov^oi. 

'TftviofAis brfoxs *t KM aiyio%u Atos vtu, 
Kufoget xai tpo&ttjov llaXvhiixtet •av\ IgiS-i- 



It Tt t Kx/rrog, ai'iru 



Here Theocritus does not seem 
however to make any distinction 
between the two brothers as fight- 
ing, the one on horseback, the 
other on foot. The difference he 
seems to make is taken from their 
weapons, Pollux using the cestus, 
and Castor the spear. Indeed he 
calls Castor T^yjnyAe, but he im- 
mediately introduces him fighting 
on foot, as well as his brother. 
Creech, in his translation of the two 
first verses, represents them both as 
horsemen, and using the cestus: 

Fair Leda's sons, and mighty Jove's I 

sing, 
Castor and Pollux, glories of the ring. 



24G 



P. VIRGILII MARON1S 



MSSa^&SS* Cyllarus, et quorum Graii meniinere poetae, 



None toss their whirlbats with so brave 

a force, 
None guide so well the fury of their 

horse. 

Horace also is quoted in opposition 
to Virgil ; for he plainly says, that 
Castor delighted in horses, but Pol- 
lux in the cestus : 

Castor gaudet equis : ovo prognatus eo- 

dem 
Pugnis. 

But here Horace seems to have for- 
gotten the story; for, according to 
the old fable, Castor and Pollux 
did not come out of the same egg, 
but Castor and Clytemnestra out of 
one, and Pollux and Helen out of 
the other. Seneca also;, in his Hip- 
polytus, expressly declares Cyllarus 
to be the horse of Castor : 

Si dorso libeat cornipedis vehi, 
Fraenis Castorea nobilior manu 
Spartanum poteris Sectere Cyllarum : 

As does Valerius Flaccus, in his 
first book of Argonautics : 

■i Castor durn quaereret Hellen, 

Passus Amyclaea pinguescere Cyllaron 
herba : 

And Claudian, in his fourth Con- 
sulship of Honorius : 

Si dominus legeretur equis, tua posceret 
ultro 

Verbera Nereidum stabulis nutritus 
Arion. 

Ser\iretque tuis contempto Castore frae- 
nis 

Cyllarus : 

And Martial, in the twenty-first 
Epigram of the eighth book : 

Ledaeo poteras abducere Cyllaron astro : 
Ipse suo cedet nunc tibi Castor equo. 

These are all the passages, which I 
remember to have seen produced 



against Virgil, to prove that Cyl- 
larus was the horse, not of Pollux, 
but of Castor. But there are not 
wanting some testimonies to prove 
that both the brothers were horse- 
men. Pindar, in his third Olympic 
ode, calls them swW«/> Tv^x-^ui. 
It is related by several historians, 
that in the war between the Ro- 
mans and the Latins, who endea- 
voured to restore Tarquin the 
Proud, Castor and Pollux both 
assisted the Romans on horseback. 
Florus says the battle was so fierce, 
that the gods are reported to have 
come down to see it; but that it 
was looked upon as a certain truth, 
that Castor and Pollux were there, 
on white horses, and that the ge- 
neral vowed a temple to them for 
their service : <{ Ea dernum atro- 
" citas fuit praelii, ut interfuisse 
" spectaculo deos fama tradiderit, 
" duos in candidis equis Castorem 
cc atque Pollucem nemo dubitarit. 
i( Itaque et Imperator veneratus est, 
" nactusque victoriam templa pro- 
" misit : et reddidit plane quasi 
" commilitonibus deis stipendium." 
Thus we see it was an article of 
faith, among the ancient Romans, 
that they both fought on horseback. 
In like manner Ovid also represents 
them both mounted on white horses, 
and both using spears at the hunt- 
ing of the Calydonian boar : 

At gemini, nondum caelestia sidera, fra- 

tres, 
Ambo conspicui nive candidioribus alba 
Vectabantur equis: ambo vibrata per 

auras 
Hastarum tremulo quatiebant spicula 

niotu : 

Though he had a little before, ac- 
cording to the received opinion, 
said one was famous for the cestu?, 
and the other for horses : 



GEORG. LIB. III. 247 

Martis equi bijuges, et magni currus Achillis. Mar^and the chariot of great 



Tyndaridae gemini, spectatus caestibus 

alter, 
Alter equo. 

Statius, in his poem on Domitian's 
horse, mentions Cyllarus, as serving 
the two brothers alternately : 

Hunc et Adrastaeus visum extimuisset 

Arion. 
Et pavet aspiciens Ledasus ab aede pro- 

pinqua 
Cyllarus : hie domini nunquam mutabit 

habenas ; 
Perpetuis fraenis, atque uni serviet astro. 

Stesichorus also, according to Sui- 
das, says that Mercury gave Phlo- 
geus and Harpagus, and Cyllarus 
to Castor and Pollux : "Zmn^c^es 
(pnri rov 'Egft^v Siduxzvou ro7g Aiofkov- 
poig &Xoyzov, x.oc.1 Agirxyov axzeis, t'ucvov 

nodctgycis x.cci KvXXcc^ov. Pliny men- 
tions the charioteers of both the 
brothers : ' ' Sunt qui conditam earn 
" ab Amphito et Telchio, Castoris 
tc ac Pollucis aurigis putent." From 
these quotations I think it appears, 
that those are in the wrong, who 
suppose Cyllarus to belong only to 
Castor. It seems to me, that both 
the brothers had an equal property 
in the horses, and therefore, that 
they might as well be ascribed to 
Pollux as to Castor. Propertius 
speaks of the horse of Pollux, 
without any mention of Castor : 

Potaque Pollucis nympha salubris equo. 

91. Martis equi bijuges.'] Servius 
and others say the horses of Mars 
are Fear and Terror. Others con- 
tend that these are the companions, 
and not the horses of that deity. 
Those who think they are the 
horses of Mars, seem to have fallen 
into that error, by misunderstand- 
ing the following passage in the 
fifteenth Iliad: 



"fij ipa.ro' KUt 'p' 'lifffovi xiXtro AtTftov rt 
Ztvyvufctv. 

I believe they took As^av and <Po£ov 
to be joined with <Wov?, whereas 
they are certainly the names of the 
persons whom Mars commanded to 
harness the horses, as Mr. Pope 
has justly translated it: 

With that, he gives command to Fear 

and Flight 
To join his rapid coursers for the fight. 

Besides, in the thirteenth Iliad, Ho- 
mer mentions <poQo$, or terror, not 
only as the companion, but as the 
son of Mars : 

O/oj os (ZgoroXotye; "Apyt zsoXi^ovhi fiirtiirtf 
Tail ol <&oQos <piXos vios af/a, xpoltipos xa'i 

arapQhs 
Eccnro, oV tQoGvio'i raXuQgovcL zffip rfoXi- 

So Mars armipotent invades the plain, 
(The wide destroyer of the race of man,) 
Terror, his best-lov'd son, attends his 

course 
Arm'd with stern boldness, and enor- 
mous force : 
The pride of haughty warriors to con- 
found, 
And lay the strength of tyrants on the 
ground. 

Mr. Pope. 

Hesiod, in his Qioyovtoc, mentions 
both Jear and terror, as the sons of 
Mars and Venus : 



Kvra^" A^vi'i 



'Pivorogw KuS-zgna <l?o€ov x,au Aupov 'irtzrtv, 
Auvovg, o'It* avSgav ztukivolj x.Xoviou<ri <pd~ 

Xccyya;, 
'Ev zfoXi/ico x,puotvri, <ruv "Agw ■atroXut'opS-M, 
'Agpovt'/iv B-', %v Kdlfios vxipSvpos Ss<r* 



In the 'Acrvrk 'H^oocXzovg, of which 
Hesiod is supposed to be the au- 
thor, we find the golden, swift-footed 
horses of Mars mentioned, and fear 



248 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



ISSa^SSlSSS Talis et ipse jubam cervice effudit equina 

over his neck, and fled swiftly 
at the approach of his wife, 
and filled lofty Pelion with 
loud neighings. But if such 
a horse should be oppressed 
with a sickness, or grow slug- 
gish with years, 



Conjugis adventu pernix Saturnus, et altum 
Pelion hinnitu fugiens implevit acuto. 
Hunc quoque, ubi aut morbo gravis, aut jam 
segnior annis 95 



and terror besides, standing by his 
chariot : 

'Ev 5* "Agios $>.6<tv(>oia zsohuKiii "ffrarat 
XguffW !» %i xa) ccvtos hagipogog euXio; 

•k'Xfthv h %ztgi<r<rw %x uv > "sfgvXiiirc't xs~ 

Xiuuv, 
A'ifiuri Qoivixotis, act) £uov; ha^uv, 
A'tip^u IftGivOiws' zvccgx, Ti Aiif&os ri <S>o°c; 

vt 
"Eg'c&o'xv, tifiivat z?o\tfiov xxraSuftivcct o\i- 

And at the latter end of the same 
book, they are represented lifting 
Mars into his chariot, after Hercules 
had wounded him, and whipping 
the horses : 

TaJ 2e *e£oy xa) LttfMS lurgoxa* ayiM, xou 

'JtfVOUf 

"HXaretv eci^' iyyus, xa) *** %3-ovos tv(>oo- 

h'ws 
'Es ViQgov S-?,xa,v z?oXv$a.i$x\ov' atyct S* 

%<rura 
"tertovs p.a.o'rti'TW, "xovro 0*1 pax^a* "OXv/n- 

9T0V. 

Magni currus Achillis.~\ It is 
Achilli in one of Dr. Mead's manu- 
scripts, which reading is received 
also by Heinsius and Masvicius. 
Homer celebrates Xanthus and Ba- 
lius, the horses of Achilles, as im- 
mortal, and makes them born of 
the Harpy Podarge, by the West 
wind: 

Ti5i xa) Avre/Jti^uv utuyt %vyov uxiag 

tictevst 
SavS-ov xa.) BaA/av, ru apct, -Bvoiyin zriri- 

ffS-nv. 
Tevj tnxi ZtQvfcy avip,u t 'Aprvict TLabugy*, 
Bo<rxof/.ivri Xttftavi zsttoa. peat uxtuvoTo. 

Then brave Automedon (an honour'd 

name) 
The second to his lord in love and fame, 



In peace his friend, -and partner of the 

war, 
The winged coursers harness'd to the 

car. 
Xanthius and Balius, of immortal breed, 
Sprung from the wind, and like the wind 

in speed. 
Whom the wing'd Harpye, swift Podarge 

bore, 
By Zephyr pregnant on the breezy shore. 
Mr. Pope. 

92. Talis et ipse jubam, &c] 
Philyra was the mistress of Saturn, 
who, to avoid being discovered by 
his wife Ops, coming upon them 
unexpectedly, turned himself into 
a fine horse. The consequence of 
this armour was, that Philyra was 
delivered of Chiron, half a man 
and half a horse. 

Effudit.] It is effundit in the 
King's and in both the Arundelian 
manuscripts. Heinsius also and 
Masvicius read effundit. Pierius 
says it is effundit in the Roman, 
and some other manuscripts. In 
others it is fudit. But he justly 
prefers effudit in the preterperfect 
tense, because the order of the nar- 
ration seems to require that tense, 
for the next verb is implevit. 

94. Pelion.~\ It is the name of a 
mountain of Thessaly, where Chiron 
dwelt. 

95. Hunc quoque, &c] Having 
given this beautiful description of 
the characters of a good stallion, 
the Poet now observes, that if the 
horse happens to be sick, or if he 
grows old, he is to be confined at 
home, and restrained from the com- 
pany of the mares. The age there- 
fore and spirit of the horse is to be 
diligently considered. Hence the 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



249 



Deficit, abde domo; nee turpi ignosce senectae. JL^&SSS a 5i ^ffi! 

-, , , . . TT r !i The old horse is cold in love« 

Frigidus in Venerem senior, trustraque iaborem andvamiy tuggs at the un- 

& x grateful labour, 



Poet slides into a tine description 
of a chariot race, and an account 
of the inventors of chariots, and 
riding on horseback. 

Jam segnior annis.] Jam is want- 
ing in the King's manuscript. Pi- 
erius says it is segnior (Etas in the 
Roman manuscript, but he justly 
prefers annis. In the old Nuren- 
berg edition it is annus. 

96. Abde domo.] " For in domo; 
'* for, if he had intended to speak 
" adverbially, he would have said 
" domi. Thus he says, in the 
u fourth JLneid, Non Libyce, non 
" ante Tyro," Servius. 

Nee turpi ignosce senectce.] " Ci- 
(C cero, in his Cato major, both 
" praises and dispraises old age. 
<f Wherefore this passage may be 
" understood in two senses: either 
" do not spare his base old age, or 
tc spare his not base old age, that is, 
" hide him and spare his old age, 
<f which is not base, because it comes 
" naturally" Servtus. 

The latter of these interpreta- 
tions is generally received, because 
it is more agreeable to the practice 
of the ancients, and the good tem- 
per of Virgil to use an old horse 
well, in regard to the services he 
has done in his youth. Ennius, as 
he is quoted by Cicero, in his Cato 
major, compares himself to a good 
horse, who has often won the prize 
at the Olympic games, but being 
worn down with age, enjoys his 
rest : 

Sicut fortis equus, spatio qui saepe su- 
premo 

Vicit Olympia, nunc senio confectu' 
quiescit. 

Plutarch condemns Cato for selling 
his old worn-out servants, and 
urges against him the contrary 



practice of treating horses. Ho- 
race, when he prays to Apollo, 
that he may enjoy a not inglorious 
old age, uses the very words of 
Virgil, in this passage : 

Frui paratis, et valido mihi, 
Latoe, dones : et precor, integra 
Cum mente, nee turpem senectam 
Degere, nee cithara carentem. 

Ovid, lamenting the misfortunes 
which attended his old age, says it 
fares otherwise with an old victo- 
rious horse, who is suffered to 
graze quietly in the meadows : 
Ne cadat, et multas palmas inhonestet 
adeptas, 
Languidus in pratis gramina carpit 
equus. 

May's translation is according to 
the first interpretation : 

Yet when disease or age have brought 

to nought 
This horse's spirit, let him at home be 

wrought, 
Nor spare his base old age. 

Dryden follows the latter inter- 
pretation, and adds a large para- 
phrase : 

But worn with years, when dire diseases 

come, 
Then hide his not ignoble age at home : 
In peace t* enjoy his former palms and 

pains, 
And gratefully be kind to his remains. 

Dr. Trapp also follows the latter 
interpretation : 

When weaken'd by disease, or years, he 

fails, 
Indulge him, hous'd; and mindful of 

the past, 
Excuse his not dishonourable age. 

97. Frigidus in Venerem senior. J 
In the King's manuscript it is fri- 
gidus in Venerem est senior. 

2 K 



250 



P. VIRGILI1 MARONIS 



;w.heSSS3£iK Ingratum trahit: et, si quando ad proelia ven- 

as a great firesometimes rages f,,rr, ^ e f GO 

without force, amongst the lUHl est, ifo 

•tubble. Therefore chiefly TT ., ..,. . ..... 

observe their spirit and Ut quondam in stipulis magnus sine vinous ignis 

Incassum furit. Ergo animos sevumque notabis 



93. Prcelia."] La Cerda thinks 
the Poet speaks of the horse's 
unfitness for war : but surely he 
means the battles of Venus, not 
those of Mars. In the same sense 
he uses bella in the eleventh 
JSneid. 

At non in Venerem segnes, nocturnaque 
bella. 

99. Quondam."] It is not always 
used to signify any determinate 
time. Here I take it to mean only 
sometimes, as it is used also in the 
fourth Georgick : 

Frigidus ut quondam sylvis immurmurat 
Auster ; 

And in the second iEneid : 

Nee soli poenas dant sanguine Teu- 

cri: 
Quondam etiam victis redit in praecordia 

virtus, 
Victoresque cadunt Danai. 

And again : 

Adversi rupto seu quondam turbine venti 
Confligunt. 

And in the fifth iEneid : 

Entellus vires in ventum effudit, et ultro 
Ipse gravis graviterque ad terram pon- 

dere vasto 
Concidit : ut quondam cava concidit, aut 

Erymantho, 
Aut Ida in magna, radicibus eruta pinus. 

And in the seventh : 

Ceu quondam torto volitans sub verbere 
turbo. 

And again : 

Ceu quondam nivei liquida inter nubila 

c yg ni 

Cum sese a pastu referunt : 



And in the ninth : 

Qualis in Euboico Baiarum littore quon* 

dam 
Saxea pila cadit : 

And in the twelfth : 

Postquam acies videt Iliacas, atque ag- 

mina Turni, 
Alitis in parvae subito collecta figuram : 
Quae quondam in bustis aut culminibus 

desertis 
Nocte sedens, serum canit importuna per 

umbras. 

99. Stipulis^ Pierius says it is 
stipula in the Roman manuscript. 

100. JEvumJ] Aristotle says the 
best age of a horse is from three 
years old to twenty: though both 
horse and mare will begin to couple 
at two, and the horse will continue 
to thirty- three and the mare to 
above forty : "in-sres Til o%tvuv xg%iTxi 
dtZTKS, xxt o%sv&rxi, axrri xxi yivvxv. rx 
fAivroi zxyovx xxrx rovrovg rovg %povov$, 
Wuttu xx) xe-Ssyixaregx, ag <f hrt to 
-zs-Xuirrcv, r^ums oyjiva xx) e^iverxi. 
xx) avxo > ilia<ri dl xh( eni to /ZsXtioitxtov 
rx ixyovx ytvvxv [M%%u; Irav . et'xotnv. 
'Offivu de. times «pp>jv ftz%£is 8t»k 
rgixxovrx xxi rgiav. *> dl &t)Xetx o^ivirxt 
x%f>iS trav na-trx^xxovrx, are e-vy&xlnt 
<r%u$ov dtx fiiov ymoSxi mv o%iixv. Z>j 
yuQ aq eirt ro ts-oXv plv xpfav -zsre^i 
T(>ix>covTX srivn em, jj de %Xiix ■sr'Keiu 
rcJv Tiro-xgccKOVTx. ij&j lie rtg e£/Wgr 
Yviroq xxi e&eptxovTx -zshre em. Varro 
says they should not be younger 
than three, nor older than ten. 
" Horum equorum, et equarum 
" greges qui habere voluerunt, ut 
" habent aliqui in Peloponneso, et 
" in Appulia, primum spectare 
" oportet aetatem, quam preecipi- 
" unt. Videndum ne sint minores 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



251 



Prsecipue: hinc alias artes, prolemque parentum, 
Et quis ciiique dolor victo, quae gloria palmae. 
Nonne vides, cum prascipiti certamine campum 
Corripuere, ruuntque effusi carcere currus, 
Cum spes arrectae juvenum, exultantiaque 
haurit 105 

Corda pavor pulsans : illi instant verbere torto, 
Et proni dant lora: volat vi fervidus axis. 



age : and then their other qua- 
lities, and their offspring, and 
how they lament being over- 
come, and how they rejoice 
at victory. Do not you see in 
the rapid race, when the cha- 
riots have seized the plain, 
and pouring from the bar- 
riers rush along, when the 
hopes of the young men are 
elevated, and thrilling fear 
rends their beating hearts : 
they ply the twisted lash, and 
hang over their horses with 
slackened reins : the fervid 
axle flies swift along. 



" trimae, majores decern annorum." 
Columella says the best age of a 
horse is from three to twenty j of 
a mare from two till ten : IC Marem 
" putant minorem trimo non esse 
'* idoneum admissurse : posse vero 
u usque ad vigesimum annum pro- 
" generare, foeminam bimam recte 
" concipere, ut post tertium annum 
" enixa foetum educet, eamque post 
" decimum non esse utilem, quod 
<f ex annosa matre tarda sit, atque 
" iners proles." 

101. Prolemque parentum.] I have 
ventured to differ from the general 
interpretation of these words. They 
are understood to mean, that you 
are to consider the sire of the colt, 
that you may know whether he is 
of a good breed. Thus Grimoaldus 
paraphrases them: " Post, parentes 
" cujusmodi sint, considerabis, ut- 
** pote quos plerumque sequitur sua 
" soboles." La Cerda explains 
them " quibus parentibus geniti :" 
and Ruseus, " quorum parentum 
f< sint soboles." Dryden translates 
them " note his father's virtues :" 
and Dr. Trapp " their lineage." I 
believe the Poet means by prolem 
parentum, that we are to observe 
what colts the horse produces. May 
seems to have understood the pas- 
sage in this sense, for he translates 
it " his brood." 

102. . Dolor.] In one of the 
Arundelian manuscripts it is color. 

103. Nonne vides, &c] It is 



easy to see that Virgil had Homer's 
chariot race in his view. He has 
not indeed adorned his description 
with a variety of incidents, which 
are so justly admired in the Greek 
poet. They would have been use- 
less ornaments in this place, where 
only the force and swiftness of the 
horses at that game require to be 
described. It is not any particular 
race, but a general description of 
that exercise which the Poet here 
intends : and the noble and poeti- 
cal manner in which he relates it, 
can never be too much admired. 

Pracipiti certamine.] Pierius 
found conamine, instead of certa- 
mine, in some ancient manuscripts: 
but he thinks it had been written 
at first as a paraphrase, and had 
afterwards slipped into the text. 

We find the same words repeated 
in the fifth iEneid : 

Non tam praecipites bijugo certamine 
campum 

Corripuere, ruuntque effusi carcere cur- 
rus. 

105. Exultantiaque haurit corda 
pavor pulsans.~\ These words are 
also repeated in the fifth iEneid, 
ver. 137, 138. They are much more 
expressive than those which Homer 
has used on the same occasion : 

— — VLi.fa.ctin Vt S-Vftot iKdLffTou 
N/x»j UfAvuv. 

107. Proni dant lora.'} Thus in 
the fifth Mneid : 
2 K 2 



252 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



Now low, now aloft, they 
seem to be carried on high 
through the plains of air, and 
to mount up to the skies. No 
stop, no stay, but a cloud of 
yellow sand arises ; and they 
are wet with the foam and 
breath of those which follow. 



Jamque humiles, jamque elati sublime videntur 
Aera per vacuum ferri, atque adsurgere in 
auras. 109 

Nee mora, nee requies : at fulvae nimbus arenae 
Tollitur: humescuntspumis,flatuque sequentum. 



Nee sic immissis aurigae undantia lora 
Concussere jugis, pronique in verbera 
pendent. 

107* Fervidus axis."] Thus Ho- 
race : 

— Metaque fervidis 

Evitata rotis. 

108. Jamque humiles, &c] Thus 
Homer : 

110. FuIvcb nimbus arena tollitur.} 
Thus Homer : 

— — 'TW £e arigvaiffi xoviti 

And again : 

— — Oi V tffirovro kovsovtss znVmo. 

111. Humescunt spumis, flatuque 
sequentum.'] Thus also Homer : 

Tlvoiiji V EvpnXoio (MraQqiiov ivgiz r upuu 

Mr. Pope, in his translation of the 
passage in Homer, which Virgil 
here imitates, has greatly improved 
his author's original, by borrow- 
ing beauties from the copy. 

At once the coursers from the barriers 

bound, 
The lifted scourges all at once resound ; 
Their heart, their eyes, their voice they 

send before ; 
And up the champain thunder from the 

shore. 
Thick, where they drive, the dusty 

clouds arise, 
And the lost courser in the whirlwind 

flies : 



Loose on their shoulders the long manes 

reclin'd, 
Float in their speed, and dance upon the 

wind: 
The smoking chariots rapid as they 

bound, 
Now seem to touch the sky, and now 

the ground. 
While hot for fame, and conquest all 

their care, 
(Each o'er his flying courser hung in air,) 
Erect with ardour, pois'd upon the reign, 
They pant, they stretch, they shout along 

the plain. 

The smoking chariots rapid as they 
bound, is taken from volat vi fervi- 
dus axis ; for Homer says no more 
than simply the chariots. Each o'er 
his flying courser hung in air and 
pois'd upon the rein are not in the 
Greek, but are taken from proni 
dant lora. Erect with ardour is 
taken from spes arrecta juvtnum, 
for Homer only says, the charioteers 
stood upon their seats. Had Mr. 
Pope favoured us with a translation 
of this passage of Virgil, I believe 
every impartial reader would have 
given the preference to the Latin 
Poet. But as we cannot shew 
Virgil in the English language 
with equal advantage; I shall re- 
present the passage in Homer, 
under the same disadvantages of a 
literal translation : " They all at 
** once lifted up their whips over 
" the horses, and lashed them with 
" their reins, and earnestly encou- 
" raged them with words. They 
" run swiftly over the plain, and 
" are soon distant from the ships. 
" The scattered dust rises under 
" their breasts, like a cloud or 
f< storm, and their manes float wav- 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



25$ 



Tantus amor laudum, tantas est victoria curae. 



Jungere equos, rapidisque rotis insistere victor. 
Fraena Pelethronii Lapithae, gyrosque dedere 



So great i§ the love of praise, 

so great is the desire of vic- 

, . , . . n tory. Ericthonius was the 

Primus .brictnonius currus et quatuor ausus 1 1 5 first who dared to join four 

horses to ?. chariot, and to sit 
victorious over the rapid 
wheels. The Pel'ethronian 
Lapithae mounting the horses' 
backs invented bridles and 
managing, 



" ing in the wind. The chariots 
" now approach the foodful earth, 
'5 and now leap up on high, and 
" the drivers stand upon their seats, 
" and every one's heart beats with 
" desire of victory, each encou- 
" rages his horses, and they fly 
" along the plain, raising up the 
" dust." The reader will now 
easily observe how much more 
animated Virgil's description is, 
than that of Homer. The chariots 
do not barely run over the plain, 
but they seize it, they pour from the 
barriers and rush along, and the 
fervid axle flies. They do not only 
leap up on high, but seem to be 
carried on high through the plains of 
air, and to mount up to the skies. 
The drivers do not only stand upon 
their seats, but their hopes are ele- 
vated, and they hang over their 
horses with slackened reins. Nor do 
their hearts merely beat with desire 
of victory, but thrilling fear rends 
their beating hearts. 

113. Ericthonius.] The first in- 
ventors of things are very doubt- 
fully delivered down to us by the 
ancients. Cicero, in his third book 
de Natura Deorum, ascribes the 
invention of the quadriga to the 
fourth Minerva : " Minerva prima 
" quam Apollinis matrem supra 
** diximus : secunda orta Nilo, 
" quam JEgyptii Saitse colunt: 
'* tertia ilia quam Jove generatam 
" supra diximus : quarta Jove nata 
" et Coryphe, Oceani filia, quam 
"Arcades Coriam nominant, et 
" quadrigarum inventricem ferunt." 
Ericthonius however is generally 
allowed to have been the inventor 



of chariots, to hide the deformity 
of his feet. The commentators 
tell a ridiculous story of his being 
produced by a vain endeavour of 
Vulcan to enjoy Minerva, who 
resisted his attempts : and derive 
his name from «g<$ strife, and jfiin 
the earth. They make him the 
fourth king of the Athenians. But 
Sir Isaac Newton suspects this 
Ericthonius to be no other than 
Erectheus, and to be falsely added 
as a different king of Athens, to 
lengthen their chronology. I ra- 
ther believe the Ericthonius here 
meant is the son of Dardanus and 
father of Tros j because Pliny men- 
tions him with the Phrygians, to 
whom he ascribes the invention of 
putting two horses to a chariot, as 
Ericthonius invented the putting 
four. '* Bigas primum junxit 
" Phrygum natio, quadrigas Eric- 
" thonius." 

114. Rapidis.] Pierius says it is 
rapidus in the Roman manuscript. 
I find the same reading in one of 
the Arundelian manuscripts. Ser- 
vius also and Heinsius read rapidus. 

115. Frcena Pelethronii Lqpitha, 
gyrosque dedere.] Servius says Pe- 
letronium is the name of a town 
of Thessaly where the breaking 
of horses was first invented. This 
interpretation is generally received, 
and therefore I have adhered to it 
in my translation. But Pliny 
makes Pelethronius the name of a 
man, and says Bellerophon invented 
the backing of horses, Pelethronius 
bridles and the furniture of horses, 
and the Centaurs of Thessaly the 
fighting on horseback : " Equo 



254 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



under tau a g rm S ttf Jiv'^tS Impositi dorso, atque equitem docuere sub armis 
pSn^'proudiy.^'ISke Tre Insultare solo, et gressus glomerare superbos. 

these labours, alike do the , 

masters require a young ikquus uterque labor; seque juvenemque ma- 
gistri 



<e vein Bellerophontem, frsenos et 
" strata equorum Pelethronium, 
ct pugnare ex equo Thessalos, qui 
" Centauri appellati sunt, habi- 
" tantes secundum Pelium mon- 
" tern." Ovid however plainly uses 
Pelethronium in the sense which 
Servius has given it : 

Vecte Pelethronium Macareus in pectus 

adacto 
Stravit Erigdupum. 

Gyrus signifies properly a wheeling 
about. Thus it is used, in the 
seventh iEneid, for the wheeling 
round of a top : 

Ceu quondam torto volitans sub verbere 

turbo, 
Quem pueri magna in gyro vacua atria 

circum 
Intenti ludo exercent. 

In the tenth iEneid, when Mezen- 
tius throws several darts at iEneas, 
and then takes a great round, as it 
is expressed by volat ingenti gyro. 

' Dixit, telumque intorsit in hostem 

Inde aliud super atque aliud figitque vo- 

latqiie 
Ingenti gyro. 

It is used in the same manner, in 
the eleventh iEneid, to express 
Camilla's flying from Orsilochus, 
and wheeling round, till she comes 
behind him : 

Orsilochum fugiens, msgnumque agitata 

per orbem 
Eludit gyro interior, sequiturque sequen- 

tem. 

In this place therefore it signifies 
the managing a horse, and teaching 
all the proper rounds and turns. 
May has translated this passage, 



The Peletronian Lapithes first found 

The use of backing horses, taught them 
bound, 

And run the ring ; taught riders t' exer- 
cise 

In martial ranks. 

Dryden's translation is, 

The Lapithae to chariots, add the state 
Of bits and bridles ; taught the steed to 

bound, 
To run the ring, and trace the mazy 

round. 
To stop, to fly, the rules of war to 

know : 
T' obey the rider ; and to dare the foe. 

Dr. Trapp's is, 

The Lapithas first, mounting on their 
backs, 

Added the reins ; and taught them un- 
der arms, 

Graceful to form their steps, to wheel, 
and turn, 

Insult the ground, and proudly pace the 
plain. 

116. Equitem!] Aulus Gellius 
contends that eques signifies the 
same with equus, and quotes a verse 
of Ennius where eques was evi- 
dently used for a horse : 

Denique vi magna qua drupes eques atque 

elephanti 
Projiciunt sese. 

Without doubt, it is the horse, that 
paws, curvets, and prances, but the 
Poet might very well apply these 
actions to the man who rides the 
horse, and makes him perform 
them. 

118. jtEquus uterque labor."] That 
is, the labours of driving chariots, 
and managing the single horse are 
equal. 



GEORG. LIB. HI. 



255 



Exquirunt, calidumque animis, et 

acrem. 
Quamvis saepe fuga versos ille egerit hostes, 120 
Et patriam Epirum referat, fortesque Mycenas ; 
Neptunique ipsa deducat origine gentem. 



*>iircihnc one that is full of mettle, and 
tuiaiuus eagei> in running. Though 
he may often have turned his 
enemies to flight ; and may 
boast of Epirus or strong My- 
cenae for his country; and 
may derive his family from 
the very original of Neptune. 



119. Calidum.] In one of the 
Anindelian manuscripts it is calidis. 

120. Quamvis scepe fuga, &c.] 
That is, let the horse's qualifica- 
tions have been ever so good, let 
him have come from the best coun- 
try in the world, let him be de- 
scended from the noblest race, yet 
he must still be in the flower of his 
age ; or else good judges will never 
make choice of him, either for 
riding, or racing. In like manner 
must we be careful, not to choose 
an old horse for a stallion. 

121. Epirum.'] In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is Cyprum. 
Epirus was famous for horses. See 
note on book i. ver. 59. 

Fortesque Mycenas.] Mycenae was 
a city of Argia, a region of Pelo- 
ponnesus, in which Agamemnon 
reigned. This country was famous 
for good horses. Thus Horace : 

Plurimus in Junonis honorem 

Aptum dicit equis Argos, ditesque My- 



122. Neptunique ipsa deducat ori- 
gine gentem] In both the Arunde- 
lian manuscripts it is ipsam instead 
of ipsa. Pierius says it is nomen 
instead of gentem in the Roman 
manuscript. I have found mentem, 
in an old edition, printed at Venice, 
in 1475. 

Neptune is said to have smitten 
the earth with his trident, and 
thereby to have produced a fine 
horse, to which the Poet alludes, 
in the first book : 

— — Tuque o, cui prima frementem 



Fudit equum tellus, magno percussa tri- 

denti, 
Neptune. 

There is another fable, that Ceres, 
to avoid the addresses of Neptune, 
took upon her the form of a mare : 
but Neptune discovering her, turned 
himself into a horse, and enjoyed 
her, after which she was delivered 
of a fine horse, which some say 
was the famous Arion. Dryden, in 
his translation, seems to make Vir- 
gil allude to both fables : 

But once again the batter'd horse beware, 
The weak old stallion will deceive thy 

care: 
Though famous in his youth for force 

and speed, 
Or was of Argos or Epirian breed, 
Or did from Neptune's race or from 

himself proceed. 

I suppose by himself he must mean 
Neptune himself, who was the na- 
tural father of the horse, according 
to the latter fable. May adheres 
to the former : 

Though nere so nobly born, though oft 
in game 

They won the prize, and for their coun- 
try claime 

Epire, or fam'd Mycenae, or else tooke 

Their birth at first from Neptune's tri- 
dent's stroke : 

And Dr. Trapp : 

If youth and strength he want, th' at- 
tempt is vain ; 

Though oft victorious he has turn'd the 
foes 

To flight, and boasts Epirus, fam'd for 
steeds, 

Or brave Mycenae, as his native soil, 

And ev'n from Nejptune't breed his race 
derives. 



256 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



«SA h h2fare e ve^ X dai?nt Ki s animadversis, instant sub tempus et omnes 



about the tima 
tion, and 



7 



genera- 



123. His animadversis, &c] The 
Poet having already described the 
excellency of those two noble 
creatures, the bull and the horse, 
now acquaints us with the method 
of preparing them, for the propa- 
gation of their species ; the male 
is to be well fed, to make him 
plump and lusty, but the female is 
to be kept lean, by a spare diet, 
and much exercise. 

This passage is commonly under- 
stood to relate only to horses and 
mares. Thus Grimoaldus para- 
phrases it : ce Postquam mores equo- 
tc rum, et annos deprehenderint 

f< agricolae Insuper armen- 

" tarii diligentes dedita opera et de 
e{ industria equas emacerabunt." 
Thus also May translates it : 

These things observ'd, at covering time, 

they care 
To make their stallion strongly fat and 

faire. 

And Dryden : 

These things premis'd, when now the 

nuptial time 
Approaches for the stately steed to climb; 

Instructed thus, produce him to the fair; 
And join in wedlock to the longing mare. 

But La Cerda contends, that this 
whole passage relates to bulls and 
cows, which opinion he confirms by 
the Poet's mentioning the asilus and 
the calves soon after. To me it 
appears that this precept relates to 
both species, for, at ver. 49. where 
Virgil begins his subject, he pro- 
fesses to treat of horses and bullocks 
together : 

Seu quis, Olympiacae miratus praemia 

palmae, 
Pascit equos, seu quis fortes ad aratra 

juveneos 
Corpora praecipue matrum legat. 



He then proceeds to describe the 
good qualities of a cow : 

Optima torvae 



Forma bovis : 

And immediately afterwards sub- 
joins those of a horse : 

Nee non et pecori est idem delectus 

equino. 
Tu modo quos in spem statues submit- 

tere geniis, 
Praecipuum jam inde a teneris impende 

laborem. 

After his long description of the 
good qualities of a horse, he now 
comes to consider the generation 
of these animals, and seems to me 
to blend both species together. In 
the passage now under considera- 
tion, the fatiguing the females 
with running before copulation, 
and in the next passage, the re- 
straining them from leaping, seems 
most applicable to mares ; and the 
mention of the calves, and the asi- 
lus soon after, and the time as- 
signed for the copulation, evidently 
belong to cows. 

123. Instant sub tempus, &c] 
Varro says he used to feed his bulls 
well for two months before the 
time : ' ' Tauros duobus mensibus 
fC ante admissuram herba, et palea, 
" ac foeno facio pleniores, et a fce- 
" minis secerno." Columella also 
says the bull should be well fed s 
<s Pabulum .... tauris adjicitur, 
" quo fortius meant." He says 
the same of horses : u Eoque tem- 
" pore, quo vocatur a foeminis, ro- 
" borandus est largo cibo, et ap- 
" propinquante vere ordeo, ervoque 
** saginandus, ut veneri supersit, 
" quantoque fortior inierit, firmiora 
" semina prsebeat futurae stirpi :" 
and Palladius also : " Hoc mense 
" [Martio] saginati, ac pasti ante 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



257 



Impendunt curas denso distendere pingui, 124 
Quem legere ducem, et pecori dixere marittim : 
Pubentesque secant herbas, fluviosque minis- 

trant, 
Farraque, ne blando nequeat superesse labori, 
Invalidique patrum referant jejunia nati. 
Ipsa autem macie tenuant armenta volentes : 129 
Atque ubi concubitus primes jam nota voluplas 



bestow all their care in plump- 
ing the leader and husband of 
the herd with firm fat : and 
cut tender grass for him, and 
give him plenty of water, and 
com ; lest he should be defi- 
cient in his pleasing labour, 
and lest the puny race should 
betray the weakness of their 
fathers. But as for the fe- 
males, they purposely make 
them lean : and when now 
the new known desire solicits 
their first enjoyment, 



" admissarii generosis equabus ad- 
" mittendi sunt." 

125. Dixere.'] It is duxere in the 
Cambridge manuscript, and in an 
old edition, printed at Venice, in 
1482. 

126. Pubentes.] The King's, the 
Cambridge, the Bodleian, one of 
the Arundelian, and both Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts have florentes, 
Most of the old editions have the 
same reading. Pierius says it is 
<pubentes in some ancient manu- 
scripts; which reading is admitted 
also by Heinsius, Masvicius, Ruaens, 
and several other good editors. La 
Cerda has florentes, but he thinks 
pubentes better: "Melius legas 
" pubentes. Nam prata magis con- 
" veniunt, quae delicatis et mollibus 
" herbis abundant, quam proceris." 
This agrees with what Columella 
says of the feeding of horses, who 
recommends tender grass, rather 
than that which is ripe : " Gregi- 
" bus autem spatiosa et palustria, 
" nee non montana pascua eligen- 
V da sunt, rigua, nee unquatn sic- 
" canea, vacuave magis, quam stir- 
(i pibus impedita, frequenter moUi- 
" bus potius quam proceris herbis 
" abundantia." 

127. Nequeat.] Pierius says it is 
nequeat in the Roman and other 
rnost ancient manuscripts. The 
Kings, one of the Arundelian, and 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts have 



nequeant. The same reading is ad- 
mitted by Paul Stephens, Schreve- 
lius, and several of the old editors, 
but nequeat is generally received. 

129. Made tenuant armenta.] 
This precept of making the females 
lean, is delivered also by the prose 
writers. Varro says he fed his 
cows sparingly for a month : 
" Propter foeturam hsec servare sc- 
" leo, ante admissuram mensem 
<c unum, ne cibo, et potione se im- 
" pleant, quod existimantur facilius 
" macrae concipere." Columella 
says the cows are fed sparingly, 
lest too great fatness should make 
them barren: '* Sed et pabulum 
" circa tempus admissuree subtra- 
" hitur fceminis, ne eas steriles red- 
" dat nimia corporis obesitas." 

130. Ubi concubitus primos jam 
nota voluptas sollicitat.] The critics 
are not agreed about the sense of 
this passage. Servius says that the 
word nota is put to signify that the 
mares had been covered before, be- 
cause the first time a young mare 
is covered she ought not to be lean : 
iC Dicendo nota per transitum tetigit 
" rem ab aliis diligenter expressam. 
" Nam equa? pullae cum primum 
" coeunt, si macrae sunt, et debili- 
" tantur, et debiles creant: post 
<e primum autem partum tenues 
" esse debent." But I do not find 
this distinction made by the writers 
on husbandry. Rueeus savs primos 

2 L 



258 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



^7driJe d S; h T S dd tS Sollicitat, frondesque negant, et fontibus ar- 
cent. 



springs, 



and jam nota are inconsistent, un- 
less prinios relates, not to the first 
covering, but to the beginning of 
the year : " Pugnant hsec verba, 
" primos et jam nota. Nisi juxta 
" alios intelligamus primos, non 
" omnino de primo concuhitu ; sed 
" tanturn de primo et novo anni 
(f cuj usque redeuntis." Accord- 
ingly his interpretation is, " Et 
" cum voluptas prius cognita suadet 
" novum coitum." Dr. Trapp 
translates Rusens's note, and adds 
te and that is very untoward." Gri- 
moaldus interprets it, " ubi primum 
" coire cupient :" and La Cerdn, 
" ubi jam sollicitantur voluptate ad 
t( coitum," taking no notice either 
of primos or jam nota. Thus also 
May translates it : 

And when they have an appetite 

To venery. 

Dry den follows Ruaeus : 

When conscious of their past delight, 

and keen 
To take the leap, and prove the sport 

agen. 

Dr. Trapp translates jam nota, but 
takes no notice of concubitus pri- 
mos : 

■=- — i When now the known delight 
Solicits their desires. 

Mr. B , in his preface to the 

XTeorgioks, prefixed to the second 
book, gives quite a new interpreta- 
tion of this passage. " Mr. Dryden," 
says he, rt very unlearnedly applies 
" nota voluptas to the mare, not 
" considering that Virgil speaks 
" here in the person of a groom or 
'' farmer, very well acquainted with 
" the passion those creatures are 
" most subject Co 3 and therefore 



" nota voluptas relates to the far- 
" mer's knowledge, beyond all 
" manner of doubt ; and it is worth 
" observation, through all the 
" Georgicks, that though the piece 
(C is what the grammarians call 
" Didactic, yet the style is generally 
ee Epic." He then gives his own 
translation of the passage now be- 
fore us, in the following words : 

As for the herd, they strive to keep them 

bare, 
And pinch, and draw them down with 

scanty fare ; 
And when the -well known passion of their 

race 
Solicits instantly the first embrace, 
Then they forbid them wandering in the 

woods, 
Cropping the browze, and haunting 

lonely floods : 
Oft in the scorching sun they waste their 

force, 
And urge them panting in the furious 

course : 
Then groans the floor, to pounded sheaves 

resign'd, 
And empty straws are spurn'd against 

the wind. 

The whole difficulty, about inter- 
preting this passage, seems to have 
risen from not considering, that 
voluptas signifies not only what we 
call pleasure, but also a desire of en- 
joying. In this sense it is plainly 
used in the second Eclogue: 

Torva lesena lupum sequitur, lupus ipse 

capellam : 
Florentem cytisum sequitur lasciva ca- 

pella : 
Te Coridon, o Alexi : trahit sua quem- 

que voluptas: 

And in the tenth iEneid : 

Tantane me tenuit vivendi, nate, xo- 
luptas ? 

where Ruaeus interprets vivendi vo- 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



259 



Saepe etiam cursu qiialiunt, et sole fatigant, w!ih y ro?nin*, ak lnd hc £tiS2 

_ ., them in the sun, when the 

Cum graviter tunsis gemit area irumbus, et cum floor groans heavily with 

O n ° threshing, and when 



luptas, cupido vitce > and Dryden 
translates it j 

What joys, alas ! could this frail being 

give, 
That I have been so covetous to live ? 

Voluntas therefore, in the passage 
now under consideration, signifies 
the desire which now first begins 
to be known by the young mare, 
and requires the care of the farmer, 
to keep her from growing fat. 
This would still be more evidently 
the sense of the passage, if we were 
to read nata instead of ?iota, as it 
is in the Cambridge manuscript. 

131. Frondesque negant, et f anti- 
bus arcent.] Tiiis is put in opposi- 
tion to 

Pubentesque secant herbas, Jluviosquc mi- 
nistrant. 

Pierius says that in some ancient 
manuscripts it is frondibus, instead 
of fontibus; which he justly con- 
demns. 

133. Cum graviter tunsis, &c] 
Pierius found tonsis in some manu- 
scripts : I find the same reading in 
the Cambridge manuscript, and in 
some of the oldest printed editions. 
The time here mentioned agrees 
better with cows than with mares. 
The beginning of the Roman har- 
vest was about the latter end of 
their June ; and therefore we can- 
| not suppose their threshing time to 
! have been earlier than July. Now 
I this was the very time, when they 
; allowed the bull to be admitted to 
I the cows. Varro says the time for 
I this was from the rising of the 
1 Dolphin to about forty days after- 
! wards : " Maxime idoneum tempus 
I " ad concipiendum a Delphi ni ex- 
" ortu, usque ad dies quadraginta, 



" aut paulo plus. Quae enim ita 
" eonceperunt, temperatissimo anni 
" tempore pariunt. Vactae enim 
" mensibus decern suntpraegnantes." 
This rising of the Dolphin men- 
tioned by Varro, cannot be the 
morning rising, which began on 
the twenty-seventh of December, 
according to Columella: " Sexto 
" Calendas Januarias Delphinus in- 
" cipit oriri mane:" or on the 
fourth of January according to 
Pliny : " Pridie Nonas Delphinus 
'? matutino exoritur." It must be 
the evening rising, which was on 
the tenth of June, according to both 
Columella and Pliny : " Quarto 
" Idus Delphinus vespere exoritur." 
Therefore the time allotted by 
Varro is from the tenth of June to 
about the twentieth of July. The 
barley harvest was reckoned to be- 
gin about the latter end of June, 
or the beginning of July. Thus 
the cows might be employed in 
treading out the barley, before the 
bull was admitted to them. Colu- 
mella expressly mentions July as 
the proper time: i( Mense Julio 
" fceminae maribus plerumque per- 
" mittendae, ut eo tempore concep- 
" tos proximo vere adultis jam pa- 
" bulis edant. Nam decern men- 
" sibus ventrem perferunt." Pal- 
lad ius also assigns the month of 
July as the proper season : " Hoc 
" tempore maxime tauris submit- 
" tendae sunt vaccee, quia decern 
<f mensium partus sic poterit ma- 
" turo vere concludi." But the 
time for covering mares is much 
earlier, and by no means agrees 
with the time of harvest. Accord- 
ing to Varro, it is from the vernal 
equinox to the solstice, that is, 
from the twenty-fourth or twenty- 
2 L2 



260 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



the empty chaff is tossed to 
the rising zephyrs. This they 
do that the use of the genial 
field may not be blunted with 
too much indulgence, and 
overspread the sluggish fur- 
rows , but that it may gree- 
dily devour the joy, and re- 
ceive it into the inmost re- 
cesses. Again the care of 
the sires begins to cease, and 
that of the dams to begin. 
When they rove about, in a 
state of pregnancy, and are 
near their time, let no one 
suffer them to draw the yokes 
of the heavy waggons, or 
leap across the way, and run 
swiftly 



Surgentem ad zephyrum palese jactantur inanes. 
Hocfaciunt, nimio ne luxu obtusior usus 135 
Sit genitali aryo, et sulcos oblimet inertes : 
Sed rapiat sitiens Venerem, interiusque recondat. 
Rursus cura patrum cadere, et succedere ma- 

trum 
Incipit. Exactis gravidas cum mensibus errant, 
Non illas gravibus quisquam juga clucere 

plaustris, 140 

Non saltu superare viam sit passus, et acri 



fifth of their March to the twenty- 
fourth or twenty-fifth of June : 
" Horum fceturae initium admis- 
" sionis facere oportet, ab aequi- 
" noctio verno ad solstitium, ut 
" partus idoneo tempore fiat. Duo- 
<( decimo enim mense, die decimo 
" aiunt nasci." According to Co- 
lumella,, the time is about the ver- 
nal equinox: " Generosis circa 
" vernum cequinoctium mares jun- 
" gentur, ut eodem tempore, quo 
" conceperint, jam lastis et her- 
" biuis campis post anni messem 
" parvo cum labore fcetum educcnt. 
" Nam mense duodecimo partum 
" edunt." Palladius sets down 
March as the season : " Hoc mense 
ce saginati, ac pasti ante admissarii 
" generosis equabus admittendi 
" sunt." 

135. Hocfaciunt, &c] In these 
lines the modesty of the Poet is 
very remarkable. His expressions 
are glowing and poetical ; and at 
the same time not offensive to the 
chastest ear. Some of his com- 
mentators however have heen care- 
ful lo explain in the clearest manner 
what their author took care to veil 
decently with figures. Drydeu's 
translation is abominably obscene, 
for whicli he has been justly cor- 
rected by Mr. B . Dr. Trapp, 



through fear of offending in the 
same manner, lias comprised these 
three in two very dull lines: 

Lest too much luxury and ease should 

close 
The pores, and dull the hymeneal soil. 

136. Sit.'} In one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts it is sint, which cannot 
be right. 

Arvo.~\ In an old edition, printed 
at Venice, in 1475, it is auro. 

Et sulcos.] IntheBasii edition 
of 1586. It is sulcosque. 

137. Rapiat Venerem.'] Thus 
Horace : 

Venerem incertam rapientis. 

138. Rursus cura patrum, &c] 
The Poet having given us full 
instructions about the care of the 
male, now tells us that after con- 
ception, the whole care is to be 
transferred to the female. He then 
takes occasion to mention the Asi- 
lus, which is a terrible plague to 
the cows in Italy. 

140. Non illas gravibus quisquam 
juga ducere plaustris . . . sit passus.] 
Thus Varro: "Cum conceperunt 
" equae, videndum ne aut laborent 
" plusculum, &c." 

Id one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts 
it is gravidis instead of gravibus. 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



261 



Carpere prata fuga, fluviosque innare rapaces. 
Saltibus in vacuis pascant, et plena secundum 
Flumina,muscus ubi, etviridissimagramine ripa: 
Speluncaeque tegant, et saxea procubet umbra. 
Est lucos Silari circa, ilicibusque virentem 146 
Plurimus Alburnum volitans, cui nomen asilo 
Romanum est, CEstron Graii vertere vocantes ; 



over the meadows, and swim 
the rapid streams. Letthem 
feed in open lawns, and near 
full rivers ; where the banks 
are mossy, and green with 
grass ; and let there be caves 
to shelter, and rocks to shade 
them. About the groves of 
Silarus, and Albumus, green 
with holm-oak?, there is great 
plenty of a sort of flying in- 
sects, which the Romans call 
Asilus, but the Greeks have 
formed the name GEstros for 
it : 



143. Saltibus.] See the note on 
verse 471. of the second Georgiek. 

Pascant.] In one of the Arunde- 
lian manuscripts it is pascunt. 

Plena secundum fluminai] The 
Poet recommends full rivers, that 
the pregnant cattle may not strain 
themselves with stooping to drink. 

144. Viridissima gramine ripaj 
Thus Varro, speaking of cows, 
" Eas pasci oportet in locis viri- 
" dibus, et aquosis." 

In one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts 
it is genuine instead of gramine. 

146. Est lucos. - ] Seneca reads 
Et lucum. 

Silari.] Silarus was the name 
of a river, which divided the coun- 
try of the Picentini, from that of 
the Lucani. Is now called Selo. 

Circa,] Seneca reads juxta. 

Ilicibusque virentem.] The epithet 
virentem is very proper ; for the 
holm-oak, or ilex, is an evergreen. 

147. Plurimus.] "This plurimus" 
says Dr. Trapp, " may seem odd : 
" for Asilus is plainly understood 
" as agreeing with it. And then 
" Asilus, cui nomen Asilo looks 
" strange. But we must recur to 
" the sense j which is the same, as 
" if it had been Plurima musca cui 
" nomen Asilo:' Asilus cui nomen 
Asilo is La Cerda's interpretation, 
which, I must acknowledge, seems 
a little strange. But surely pluri- 
mus agrees with velitans', which 
is used here as a noun substantive. 
Thus Servius interprets this pas- 



sage : " Ordo talis est, circa lucos 
" ~Silari fluminis Lucania, et Albur- 
" num ejus montem est plurimus vo- 
"litans: ac si diceret, est multa 
( ' musca. Volitans autem modo 
" nomen est, non participium." 

147- Alburnum.] Albumus was 
the name of a mountain near the 
river Silarus. 

Cui nomen Asilo.] Asilo is here 
put in the dative case, after the 
manner of the Greeks. Thus we 
find in the fourth Georgick : 

Est etiam flos in pratis, cuimomen Amelia 
Fecere Agricolaa : 

And in the first iEneid : 

At puer Ascanius, cui nunc cognomen 

liilo 
Additur : 

And in the ninth : 

Fortemque ma mi fudisse Numa« 

num 
Cui Remulo cognomen crat. 

148. Romanum est.] Est is left 
out in the King's, in one of the 
Arundelian, and in one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts. 

CEstron Graii vertere vocantes.] 
Servius understands these words to 
mean, that the Greeks called this 
insect Jc-Tgos, from its whizzing 
noise: for he thinks it cannot be 
the Poet's meaning, that the Greeks 
translated it from the Latin, be- 
cause the Greek is the more ancient 
language: "Vertere ex soni si- 
" militudine, onomatopoieam fc- 



262 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



L?nf& e rwithwhTchwhS; Asper, acerba sonans ; quo tota exterrita sylvis 

herds being terrified fly out 
of the woods ; 



" cere. Non enim possumus acci- 
" pere, ex Latina lingua mutavere, 
u cum constet Gnecam prim am 
'* fuisse." It is probable however, 
that this insect might have been 
first taken notice of by the ancient 
inhabitants of Italy. For that 
country was anciently celebrated 
for the finest kine: and Timaeus, 
as he is quoted by Varro, informs 
us, that the ancient Greeks called 
bulls IrxXovg, and thence called the 
country Italy, because it abounded 
with the finest bulls and calves : 
" Vide quid agas, inquam, Vacci. 
" Nam bos in pecuaria, maxima 
" debet esse auctoritate : prsesertim 
" in Italia, quae a bubus nomen 
" habere sit existimata. Grsecia 
" enim antiqua, ut scribit Ti- 
" maeus, tauros vocabant nocXolg, a 
" quorum multitudine, et pulchri- 
" tudine, et fcetu vitulorum Italiam 
" dixerunt." To this we may add, 
that Seneca understood the Poet to 
mean, that Asilus was the ancient 
name, but that the Greek name 
cestrus or cestrum was then received 
instead of it : " Hunc quern Graeci 
" cestrum vocant, pecora peragen- 
" tern, et totis saltibus dissipantem, 
e< asilum nostri vocabant. Hoc 
' ' Virgilio licet credas : 

*' Et lucum Silari juxta, ilicibusque vl- 

M rentem 
" Plurimus Alburnum volitans, cui nomen 

" asilo 
" Romanum est, cestrum Grceci vertere 

" voca?ites, 
" Asper, acerba sonans, quo tota exterrita 

" sylvis 
" Diffugiunt armenta. 
" Puto intelligi istud verbum interisse." 

Varro calls this insect Tabanus : 
" Itaque quod eas sestate talani 
" concitare solent, et bestiola; quae- 
" dam minutaj sub cauda, ne con- 



(t citentur, aliqui solent includere 
i( septie." And Pliny informs us, 
that it is called both Tabanus and 
Asilus: " Reliquorum quibusdam 
" aculeus in ore, ut asilo, sive ta- 
" banum dici placet." 

The history of this insect has 
been delivered in so confused a 
manner by authors, that I could 
meet with no satisfaction about it, 
till I was favoured by Sir Hans 
Sloane, Bart, with the persual of 
a book in titled Esperie?ize } ed Osser- 
vazioni intorno alV Origine, Sviiuppi, 
e Costumi di varj Insetti, con altre 
speitanti alia Naturale, e Medica 
Storia,fatte da Antonio Vallisnieri, 
Publico Professore primario di Me- 
dicina Teorica nelV Universita di 
Padoa: printed at Padua, in 1723, 
in 4to. This curious author informs 
us, from his own observation, that 
the Assillo, as he calls it, is a flying 
insect, in shape somewhat resem- 
bling a wild bee or wasp, without 
any sting, or proboscis in the 
mouth. It has two membranace- 
ous wings, with which it makes 
a most horrible whizzing. The 
belly is terminated by three long 
rings, one less than another, from 
the last of which proceeds a for- 
midable sting. This sting is com- 
posed of a tube, through which the 
egg is emitted, and of two augres, 
which make way for the tube to 
penetrate into the skin of the 
cattle. These augres are armed 
with little knives, which prick 
with their points, and cut with 
their edges, causing intolerable pain 
to the animal, that is wounded by 
them. But this pain is not all 5 
for at the end of the sting, as at 
the end of a viper's tooth, and of 
the sting of wasps, bees, and hor- 



GEORG. LIB. III. 263 

Diffugiuntarmenta;furit mugitibus aether 150 S&tgS* ' furiously 



nets, issues forth a venomous li- 
quor, which irritates, and inflames 
the fibres of the wounded nerves, 
and causes the wound to become 
fistulous. This fistula seems to be 
kept open by the egg", after the 
manner of an issue. 

The egg is hatched within the 
fistula, and the worm continues 
there, till it is ready to turn to a 
chrysalis, receiving its nourishment 
from the juice, which flows from 
the wounded fibres. These worms 
remain nine or ten months under 
the skin, and then being arrived 
almost to perfection, they come 
out of their own accord, and creep 
into some hole, or under some 
stone, and there enter into the 
state of a chrysalis, in which con- 
dition they lie quiet for some time, 
and at last come forth in the form 
of the parent fly. 

149. AsperJ] I take this word 
to be designed to express the sharp- 
ness of the sting. 

Acerba sonans.] This relates to 
the horrible whizzing of this ani- 
mal. 

Quo tola exterrlta sylvis, &c] 
Homer represents the suitors, who 
had long fought with Ulysses, on 
Minerva's raising up her shield, 
flying like oxen from the cestrus. 

A^ tot 'AS-nvutn (pS-itriftSgoTOS AiyiV av- 

'T-v^aS-sv \% h(>o<pm' tuv $1 Qgivts ItfroiyS-iv. 
0< a l<pi§ovTo f&tTcc f&iyxgov fiosg as o\yi- 

To\i (juv t ccloXo? oifgos l<po^nB-us fdovwriv 
il^n lv slotgivyj, I'ts t vip.a.Ttt. (jckk^o, -ars- 

XtVTCCl. 

Now Pallas shines confess'd; aloft she 

spreads 
The arm of vengeance o'er their guilty 

heads ; 
The dreadful JEgis blazes in their eve : 



Amaz'd they see, they tremble, and they 

fly: 
Confus'd, distracted, thro' the rooms 

they fling, 
Like oxen madded by the breeze's 

sting, 
When sultry days, and long, succeed 

the gentle spring. 

Mr. Pope. 



Vallisnieri relates, that as four 
oxen were drawing a very heavy 
carriage, one of them being stricken 
in the back by an Assillo, all four 
ran so furiously, that being come to 
a river's side, they threw them- 
selves in headlong. The same 
author tells us, that in a fair of 
cattle, on the mountains of Reggio, 
the oxen hearing the noise of 
some of these animals, though 
they were tied, and had their 
keepers by them, began first to 
roar, then to toss, and wreathe 
themselves about in a strange man- 
ner: at last they broke loose, did 
a vast deal of mischief, drove all 
the people out of the fair, and fled 
away themselves with horrid bel- 
lowings. 

He observes that these insects 
sometimes infest horses, that live 
in mountainous places, and feed at 
large, in the groves and fields : 
but not those which are kept in 
stables and curried. This confirms 
what Varro relates, that some keep 
their oxen in the stalls, to preserve 
them from these insects. Rubbing 
the cattle well preserves them from 
this plague: for, as Vallisnieri tells 
us, they are never found in the 
legs, or other parts, where the 
cattle can reach with their tongue 
or their tail j but on the back and 
flanks, and sometimes about the 
shoulders and on the neck. 



264 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and the woods, and the banks 
of dry Tanagrus. With this 
monster did Juno formerly 
exercise severe wrath, when 
she studied a plague for the 
Inachian heifer. Do you also 
take care to drive it from the 
pregnant cattle, and feed 
your herds, when the sun is 
newly risen, or when the 
stars lead on the night; for 
it is most severe in the noon- 
day heat. After the cow has 
brought forth, all the care is 
transferred to the calves : and 
first they mark them with 
burning irons, to distinguish 
theirsorts; which they choose 
to keep for breeding, which 
they keep consecrated to the 
altars, and which to cleave 
the ground, 



Concussus, silvaeque, et sicci ripa Tanagri. 
Hoc quondam monstro horribiles exercuit iras 
Inachise Juno pestem meditata juvencae. 
Hunc quoque, nam mediis fervoribus acrior 

instat, 
Arcebis gravido pecori, armentaque pasces 155 
Sole recens orto, aut noctem ducentibusastris. 
Post partum, cur a in Vitulos traducitur omnis : 
Continuoque notas, et nomina gentis inurunt : 
Et quos aut pecori malint submittere habendo, 
Aut aris servare sacros, aut scindere terrain, 160 



151. Sicci ripa Tanagri.] The 
Tanagrus or Tanager, now called 
Negro, is a river of Lucania, rising 
from the mountain Alburnus. 

Dryden's translation makes these 
words an extravagant rant : 

Tanagrus hastens thence: and leaves 
his channel dry. 

152. Hoc quondam monstro, &c] 
lo the daughter of Inachus was be- 
loved by Jupiter, who, to conceal 
her from Juno, turned her into a 
cow. But Juno discovering the 
deceit sent an oestrus to torment Io, 
with which being stung she fled 
into Egypt, where being restored 
to her former shape, she was mar- 
ried to king Osiris, and after her 
death was worshipped as a goddess, 
under the name of Isis. 

155. Pecori.] In both Dr, Mead's 
manuscripts it is pecorique : but 
the que is injudiciously added, to 
avoid a synaloepha. See the note 
on book i. ver. 4. 

156. Astris.] In the Cambridge 
manuscript, and in some of the old 
printed editions, it is austris. 

157- Post partum, &c] The 
Poet having first described the care 
that is to be taken of the sire be- 
fore copulation, then of the dam 



during her pregnancy, now tells us, 
that all our care is to be bestowed 
on the young ones, as soon as 
they are brought into the world, 
and begins with the calves. Fierius 
reads 

Post partum in vitulos cura traducitur 
omnis : 

but he says it is 

Post partum cura in vitulos traducitur 
omnis 

in the Roman, the Medicean, the 
Lombard, and some other manu- 
scripts. He says also, that in the 
oblong manuscript, which Poinpo- 
nius Laetus called his delicice, it is 
deducitur, instead of traducitur ; but 
he thinks the common reading is 
best. 

158. Contmuo.] See the note on 
ver. 75. 

Notas et nomina gentis inurunt.] 
The burning marks upon cattle is 
a very ancient custom, to which 
we find frequent allusions. 

159. Malint.] In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is malit ; in 
the other it is malunt. 

160. Sacros.'} The King's, the 
Bodleian, one of the Arundelian 
manuscripts, most of the old edi- 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



£65 



Et campum horrentem fractis kivertere glebis. ^? h KencbSs m ¥he ™! 
Caetera pascuntur virides armenta per herbas : 



...j herd graze i 
meadows : 



tions, and Paul Stephens, have sa- 
cris. Pierius reads sacris ; but he 
says it is sacros in the Roman and 
Medicean manuscripts, which he 
thinks a good reading, He adds, 
that it was sacros in the Lombard 
manuscript, but had been altered 
to sacris. Sacros is generally re- 
ceived, and is more poetical. 

162. Cater a pascuntur virides ar- 
menta per herbas.'] This is gene- 
rally understood to mean, that the 
cattle which are not designed efcher 
for breeding, sacrifices, or labour, 
have no mark set upon them, and 
so are suffered to graze undis- 
tinguished. Thus Grimoaldus pa- 
raphrases it : " At haec quidem 
" animalia domi, et ad manum 
" servant, et custodiunt, caetera, 
" quae neque sunt admissurse ido- 
" nea, nee sacrifices apta, nee agri- 
" culturae accommodata, in agris, 
" pratisque, sine ulla domandi cura, 
" libere vagari sinunt." Thus also 
Dryden translates it: 

The rest for whom no lot is yet decreed, 
May run in pastures, and at pleasure 
feed: 

and Dr.-Trapp : 

The rest promiscuous, and unnoted feed 
On the green meadows. 

" Unnoted/' says he, " for that is 
"manifestly implied; though not 
" expressed. Catera pascuntur, &c. 
" subaud. indiscriminatim. Those 
" of which he was speaking before 
" were to have marks set upon 
" them : and these by the word 
"catera are set in opposition to 
" them." La Cerda observes, that 
this is the general interpretation 
received by all the commentators; 
with which however he declares 



himself not to be satisfied. He is 
at a- loss to understand, what 
fourth sort is meant, that is not 
intended either for breeding, sacri- 
fice, or labour; unless any one 
should pretend it is designed for 
the shamble. But then, says he, 
these are bred at home, and not 
suffered to feed at large. He then 
proposes a new interpretation, that 
by armenta the Poet means cow- 
calves. This he confirms by a pre- 
ceding passage in this Georgick, 
where we are told that the bull is 
to be well fed, but the cow to be 
kept lean : 

Ipsa autem macie tenuant armenta vo- 
lentes. 

Here, says he, the cows are called 
armenta, as distinct from the bulls. 
It is therefore this learned com- 
mentator's opinion, that the Poet 
would have the bull-calves kept at 
home, and brought up with great 
care, but that he has no regard for 
the cow-calves, and allows them to 
ramble at large in the meadows. 
I take neither of these interpreta- 
tions to be the Poets meaning. 
The first is sufficiently refuted al- 
ready by La Cerda : and the other 
seems to labour under some diffi- 
culties. The cow-calves are surely 
as much to be preserved for breed- 
ing, as the bull-calves: and our 
Poet himself seems, in another 
place, to think the greatest regard 
is to be had to the cows : 

Seu quis fortes ad aratra juvencos ; 

Corpora praecipue matrum legat. 

I have thought therefore of an- 
other interpretation, which seems 
to me to express the Poet's true 
meaning. He has just told us, the 
2 M 



266 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



hut those which you would 
form for the design and use of 
agriculture, you must teach 
Whilst they are yet but calves ; 
•nd begin to tame them, 
whilst their young minds are 
tractable, whilst their age is 
governable. And first hang 
loose collars of slender twigs 
about their necks ; and when 
their free necks have been ac- 
customed to servitude, match 
bullocks of 



Tu quos ad studium, atque usum formabis 

agrestem, 
Jam vitulos hortare, viamque insiste domandi, 
Dum faciles animi juvenum, dum mobilis aetas. 
Ac primum laxos tenui de vimine circlos 166 
Cervici subnecte ; dehinc, ubi libera colla 
Servitio assuerint, ipsis e torquibus aptos 



calves are to be distinguished into 
three classes, in ver. 159, 160, and 
l6l. I take a new sentence to be- 
gin with ver. 163. Cceteru pascuntur, 
&c. The rest of the herd, that is, 
those which are designed for breed- 
ing, or sacrifice, may feed at large 
in the meadows, for they need no 
other care, than to furnish them 
with sufficient nourishment, till 
they arrive at their due age. But 
those, which are designed for agricul- 
ture, require more care : they must 
be tamed, whilst they are hut calves, 
and tractable in their tender years. 
According to this interpretation, 
the Poet has mentioned how all 
the three sorts are to be treated, 
and has not omitted two of them, 
as La Cerda imagines: "Dixit 
u destinandos alios ad sobolem, 
" alios ad sacra, alios ad agricul- 
" turam : nunc, omissis primis et 
c< mediis, loquitur de extremis, qui 
"• servantur ad agriculturam." 

163. Tu quos ad studium, &c] 
Dryden's translation represents the 
Poet speaking after a manner most 
strangely figurative. He talks of 
sending the calf to school, keeping 
him from seeing the bad examples 
of the world, and instructing him 
with moral precepts. For all this 
he has not the least countenance 
from his author, except it be in the 
words studium and juvenum : 

Set him betimes to school ; and let him 

be 
Instructed there in rules of husbandry : 



While yet his youth is flexible and green ; 
Nor bad exajnplcs of the world has seen. 
Early begin the stubborn child to break ; 

Thy flattering method on the youth pur- 
sue: 

Join'd with his school-fellozvs by two and 
two. 

E'er the licentious youth be thus re- 

strain'd, 
Or moral precepts on their minds have 

gain\l. 

164. Jam vitulos hortare.] Colu- 
mella says they ought not to be 
younger than three, or older than five 
years: " Verum neque ante ter- 
" tium, neque post quintum annum 
" juvencos domari placet, quoniam 
" ilia aetas adhuc tenera est, haec 
" jam prsedura." That author gives 
a particular account of the manner 
in which the ancients tamed their 
bullocks, too long to be here in- 
serted. The reader may consult the 
second chapter of the sixth book. 

166. Laxos.~\ In the King's ma- 
nuscript it is lapsos. 

l6? '. Dehinc.'] In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is delude. 

168. Ipsis e torquibus.] This 
particular instruction, of fastening 
the bullocks by the collars, may 
seem superfluous to those, who are 
not informed, that it was a custom 
among the ancients, to yoke the 
bullocks together by the horns. 
This is mentioned by Columella, as 
being in use in his days, in some 
of the provinces ; though, he says, 
it was justly condemned by most 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



267 



Junge pares, et coge gradum conferre juvencos. 
Atque illis jam saepe rotae ducantur inanes 170 
Post terrain, et summo vestigia pulvere signent. 
Post valido nitens sub pondere faginus axis 
Instrepat, et junctos temo trahat aereus orbes. 



equal strength together, and 
take care to fasten them by 
the collars, and make them 
step togetlur. And now let 
them often draw empty wheels 
along the ground, and mark 
the top of the dust with their 
footsteps. Afterwards let the 
beechen axle labouring groan 
under a heavy load, and let 
the brazen pole draw the join- 
ed wheels. 



writers of agriculture: " Nam illud, 
" quod in quibusdam provinciis 
". usurpatur, ut cornibus illigetur 
" jugum, fere repudiatum est ab 
" omnibus, qui pra?cepta rusticis 
" conscripserunt, neque immerito : 
" plus enim queunt pecudes collo 
" et pectore conari, quam cornibus. 
u Atque hoc modo tota mole cor- 
" poris, totoque pondere nituntur : 
" at ilia, retractis et resupinis capi- 
" tibus excruciantur, aegreque terrae 
" summam partem levi admodum 
" vomere sauciant." 

" In the most ancient oblong 
" manuscript, it is de torquibus; in 
" the Lombard manuscript, it is 
<c ipsis et torquibus aptos." Pierius. 
In the King's manuscript it is ex 
torquibus, and in one of Dr. Mead's 
it is cum. torquibus. 

Aptos.] The critics agree, that 
aptos, in this place, signifies the 
same as aptatos or tigatos ; for it is 
derived from £Vr<y, to bind. 

169. Junge pares.] Varro says 
you must yoke bullocks of equal 
strength, lest the stronger should 
wear out the weaker : " Ut viribus 
" magnis sint, ac pares, ne in opere 
" firmior imbecilliorem conficiat." 
Columella also delivers the same 
precept: " Item custodiendum est, 
*' ne in corporatione, vel statura, 
" vel viribus impar cum valentiore 
"jungatur: nam utraque res in- 
" feriori celeriter affert exitium." 

170. Roice ducantur inanes.] In 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts it 
is ducuntur. 

By empty wheels is meant either 
empty carnages, or wheels without 



any carriage laid upon them. Varro 
mentions drawing empty carts: 
" Quos ad vecturas item instituen- 
" dum, ut inania primum ducant 
" plaustra." Columella advises, 
that they should first draw only 
a branch of a tree, with sometimes 
a weight added to it, then be put 
to a cart, and, when they are quite 
tame, to a plough : " Per haec 
" blandimenta triduo fere mansues- 
" cunt, jugumque quarto die acci- 
iC piunt, cui ramus illigatur, et 
" temonis vice trahitur : interdum 
C: et pondus aliquod injungitur, ut 
" majore nisu laboris exploretur 
" patientia, post ejusmodi experi- 
{t menta vacuo plostro subjungendi, 
" et paulatim longius cum oneribus 
ec producendi sunt. Sic perdomiti 
" mox ad aratrum instituantur, sed 
c< in subacto agro, ne statim difficul- 
" tatem operis reformident, neve 
" adhuc tenera colla dura proscis- 
" sione terrae contundant." 

171. Summo vestigia pulvere sig- 
nent.] These words are used to ex- 
press the lightness of the carriage, 
which the untamed bullocks are 
first put to draw. The weight is 
to be so inconsiderable, that it will 
not cause them to make deep im- 
pressions in the dust. 

172. Valido nitens sub pondere.} 
After they have been tried with 
empty carriages, they are to be put 
to draw such as are heavy, as we 
have seen just now, in the quota- 
tion from Columella. 

173- Junctos temo trahat aereus or- 
bes.] Pierius found vinctos, in the an- 
cient manuscripts, instead of junctos. 

2 M 2 



268 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



^"SrockfnoE !X U £ Interea pubi indomits non gramina tantum, 

fed with crass, or the tender xt l • r l i 1 

leaves of willows, or marshy Nee vescas salicum frondes, ulvamque palus- 
trem, 175 



•edge, 



Brazen is frequently tised to sig- 
nify strong. Dr. Trapp translates 
cereus, bound with brass : 

Then let the beachen axis, bound with 



Move slow, and groan beneath the pon- 
d'rous load. 

175. Ulvamque paluslrem.] " It 
" is sijlvam in v the Roman manu- 
" script: but uluam is generally 
" received." Pierius. 

It is not certain what plant is 
the ulva of the ancients: I have 
interpreted it sedge ; which is a ge- 
neral name for large weeds, that 
grow in marshes, and near the 
banks of rivers. Most writers sup- 
pose the ulva to be much like the 
alga, or sea-wrack ; and that they 
differ chiefly in this ; that the alga 
grows in salt water, and the ulva 
in fresh. But this, I think, is cer- 
tain; that there is no fresh-water 
plant, which resembles the sea- 
wrack, and at the same time agrees 
with what the ancients have said 
of their ulva. Caesalpinus supposes, 
and not without reason, that the 
ulva is the same with the iypha, 
which we call cafs-lall, or reed- 
mace. It is a very common weed 
with us, and in Italy also, in stag- 
nant waters: it grows to a consi- 
derable height, and bears a head 
at the top of the stalk, which when 
ripe affords a great deal of down. 
In the passage now under consi- 
deration, it is called a marshy plant, 
" ulvamque paluslrem." In the 
eighth Eclogue it is described as 
growing near a rivulet : 

Propter aquas rivum viridi procumbit in 
ulva. 

In the second iEneid Sinon men- 



tions his lying hid amongst the 
ulva, in a muddy lake : 

Limosoque lacu, per noctem, obscurus in 

ulva, * 

Dcliiui. 

The caVs-lail grows only where 
there is mud, and is tall enough 
to conceal any person. In the 
sixth JEneid it is represented as 
growing by a muddy river' 6 side, 
and the colour is said to be glau* 
cous, or bluish green, which agrees 
also with the cat's-tail : 

Tandem trans fluvium incolumes vatem- 

que virurnque 
Informi limo, glaucaque exponit in ulva, 

Ovid makes frequent mention of 
the ulva. as a marshy plant. In the 
fourth book of the Metamorphosis, 
a pool is described as being re- 
markably clear, by the negative 
quality of not having any ulva 
in it: 

Videt hie stagnum lucentis ad 

imum 
Usque solum lymphae : non illic canna 

palustris, 
Nee steriles ulvac y nee acuta cuspide 

juuei. 

In the sixth book, it is called icfe- 
lighlful to the- marshes : 

Agrestes illic fruticosa legebant 

Vimina cum juncis, gratarnquc paludibus 
ulvarii. 

We find it mentioned also as a 
water plant, in the eighth book : 



r- Tenet ima lacunas 

Lenta salix, ulvaeque leves : 

And in the fourteenth : 



Lasva de parte canori 



jEolidae tumulum, et loca fata palustri* 
bus ulvis 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



269 



Sed frumenta manu carpessata: nee tibi fcetae, 
More patrum, nivea implebunt mulctraria 

vaccae ; 
Sed tota in dulces.consument ubera natos. 
Sin ad bella magis studium, turmasque feroces, 



but gather corn for them 
with your hand ; and let 
not your fruitful cows, as in 
the da\s of our fathers, fill 
the pails with snowy milk; 
but It them speid a'l iheir 
udders on their heloved off- 
spring. But if y ur study 
bends rather to war, and 
fierce troops, 



Littora Cumarum, vivactsque antra Si- 
bylla? 
Intrat. 

In the eighth book, he speaks of a 
bed being made of the ulva : 

In medio torus est de mollibus 

ulvis 
Impositus lecto, sponda, pedibusque 

salignis. 

This agrees with what Matthiolus 
tells us, that the poorer people in 
Italy make their beds of the down 
of the cat's-tail, instead of feathers : 
and the same author informs us, 
that there is hardly a standing 
water in Italy, which does not 
abound with cat's-tail. 

176. Frumenta manu carpes sata.] 
Servius interprets this farrago, that 
is, a mixed provender of wheat bran, 
and barley meal. Grimoaldus also 
paraphrases it farra suppeditabis et 
ordea. La Cerda is of the same 
opinion: which he strengthens by 
a quotation from Varro, where he 
tells us, a calf of six months old 
is to be fed with wheat bran, bar- 
ley meal, and tender grass : " Se- 
" mestribus vitulis objiciunt fur- 
" fures triticeos, et farinam ordea- 
" ceam, etteneramherbam." Ruaeus 
differs from the other commenta- 
tors: he understands the Poet to 
mean young corn. This he con- 
firms by the words carpes sata, 
which plainly express the gather- 
ing of the tender blade; and by 
ver. 205, where he forbids giving 
farrago to the cattle before they are 
tamed. Hence he concludes, either 
that Virgil contradicts Varro, or 



else that he means that the farrago 
should be given sparingly to the 
cattle, before they are tamed, and 
plentifully afterwards. Dryden fol- 
lows Ruaeus: 

Their wanton appetites not only feed 
With delicates of leaves, and marshy 

weed, 
But with thy sickle reap the rankest land : 
And minister the blade, with bounteous 

hand; 

Dr. Trapp is of the same opinion : 

Meanwhile with grass alone, and leaves, 

and sedge 
Feed not thy untam'd bullocks; but 

with corn 
Cropped in the blade. 

Nec tibi foetae, &c] The people 
in the earliest ages lived much 
upon milk; and therefore defrauded 
their calves of great part of their 
natural nourishment. This practice 
Virgil condemns, and advises those, 
who breed calves, to let them suck 
their fill. 

177. Mulctraria.] So I read with 
Heinsius, and some of the oldest 
editors. I find the same reading 
in the King's, the Cambridge, and 
both Dr. Mead's manuscripts. Pi- 
erius found mulctraria also in the 
Roman, the oblong, and some other 
manuscripts. In the Medicean and 
some others he found multralia. He 
found mulgaria also in some of the 
most ancient copies ; and observes, 
that in the Lombard manuscript 
multraria had been slightly erased, 
and mulgaria substituted for it. 

179. Sin ad bella, &c] The 



270 



P. VIRG1LII MARONIS 



or to whirl along the Alphe- 
an streams of Pisa, and to 
drive the flying chariots in 
the grove of Jupiter; the 
first labour of the horse is to 
see the spirit and arms of war- 
riors, and to endure the trum- 
pets, and to bear the rattling 
wheel, and to hear the sound- 
ing bridles in the stable ; then 
to rejoice more and more at 
the kind applauses of his mas- 
ter, and to love the sound of 
clapping his neck. Let him 
hear these, when he is first of 
ail weaned from his dam, and 
let him yield his mouth to 
soft bits, whilst he is weak, 
and yet trembling, and yet 
of tender years. But when 
three summers are past and 
the fourth is begun, 



Aut Alphea rotis praelabi flumina Pisa?, ISO 
Et Jo vis in luco currus agitare volantes; 
Primus equi labor est, animos atquearma videre 
Bellantum,lituosque pati, tractuque gementem 
Ferre rotam, et stabulo fraenos audire sonantes. 
Turn magis atque raagis blandis gaudere ma- 
gistri 185 

Laudibus, et plausse senitum cervicis amare. 
Atque hasc jam primo depulsus ab ubere matris 
Audiat, inque vicem detmollibus ora capisiris 
Invalidus, etjamque tremens, etjam inscius a?vf. 
At, tribus exactis, ubi quarta accesserit aestas, 



Poet now proceeds to give an ac- 
count of the breeding of horses. 

180. Alphea.] See ver. 10. 
Pisce.~} Strabo tells us, that it 

has been questioned, whether there 
ever was such a city as Pisa, affirm- 
ing it to have been the name only 
of a fountain : Tm$ 21 sroXiv pli oi>- 
ciuiocv yiyovzvxi Hi'crxv (puriv. uvcti yocp 

x.xte7G$eti B7o~xv, Kvx.r,Tiov -zrhnrioii tso- 
Xiwg pciyi'ms t£v oktco. It is con- 
fessed however, that it was an- 
ciently the name of a country in 
that part of Elis, through which 
the river Alpheus flowed, and in 
which stood the famous temple of 
Jupiter Olympius. 

181. Et Jovis in luco.'] In one 
of Dr. Mead's manuscripts, it is si 
instead of et. 

The commentators seem to have 
passed over this grove of Jupiter in 
silence. We learn however from 
Strabo, that it belonged to the tem- 
ple of Jupiter 01} r mpius. He says 
the Olympian temple is in the Pisean 
region, not quite three hundred 
stadia from the city Elisj that it 
has a grove of wild olives before it, 
in which is a place for races : Aa-rov 

£' i?h iimh -rnpl Tsj? 'OXv(Z7Tiecs xcti t?s 
g<5 rev; 'Hteiovg olttuvtm f^irocTrrao-t^g. 



'Ef( a lv 7% nutroiTidi to Upov <,ahUvg 
ths "HA^o; iXoiTTOvg it Tf>ixx.o<riovg 2i- 
£%ov. %-p^oKiiTXi $ ciXtrog ay^itXetiav h a» 
foidtcv. TrxQctppiTl? o 'AA<ps*os Ik ?vg 'Ag- 
xccdioig piav tig t*jv T^t^vtaxxw B-oiXoar- 
<ret,v fu&TX^v ov<nag } tuu p.urr,p£>plcig. 

185. Lituos.] I have translated 
lituos trumpets for want of a proper 
English word. The tuba is gene- 
rally thought to have been the same 
instrument with our trumpet: but 
the liiuus was different from it, 
being almost straight, only turning 
a little in at the end : the cor nit 
and the buccinum were bent almost 
round. 

184. Stabulo fraenos audire so- 
nantes.] In one of Dr. Mead's ma- 
nuscripts it is stabulis. 

Varro also says the colts should 
be accustomed to the sight and 
sound of bridles: " Eademque 
" causa ibi fraenos suspendendum, 
" lit equuli consuescant et videre 
" ecram faciem, et e motu audire 
" crepitus." 

ISO. Invalidus.] In the King's 
manuscript it is invalidusquc . 

Et jam.] So I read with Hein- 
sius. Pierius fonnd the same read- 
ing in some ancient copies. The 
common reading is etiam. 

190. At tribus exactis.^ In the 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



271 



Carpere mox gyrum incipiat,gradibusque sonare i*^ 1 ^^^ 

with regular steps, 



King's manuscript it is ac instead 
of«/. 

Varro says some would break a 
horse at a year and half old : but 
he thinks it is better to stay till he 
is three years of age: l( Cum jam 
" ad manus accedere consuerint, 
cc interdum imponere iis puerum 
" his, aut ter pronum in ventrem, 
" postea jam sedentem, haec facere 
" cum sit trimus: turn enim maxi- 
' f me crescere, ac lacertosum fieri. 
" Sunt qui dicant post annum et 
" sex menses equulum domari posse,, 
" sed melius post irimum, a quo 
"tempore farrago dari solet." Co- 
lumella makes a distinction between 
those which are bred for domestic 
labour, and those which are bred 
for races; he says the former should 
be tamed at two years, and the lat- 
ter not till he is past three : w Equus 
" bimus ad usum domesticum recte 
" domatur, certaminibus autem ex- 
" pleto triennio, sic tamen ut post 
" quartum demum annum labori 
" committatur." 

Ubi quarta accesserit cestas.] cc Al- 
c< most all the ancient manuscripts 
" have cetas, except only that most 
" ancient one, which we call the 
" Roman, in which we find ubi 
" quarta acceperit cestas. But Ser- 
" vius acknowledges &tas, and ex- 

" plains it quartus annus But 

" for my part I neither dislike ac- 
" ceperit nor cestas, as we have the 
i( testimony of so ancient a manu- 
(£ script, which I think may be de- 
" pended upon in whole words, 
" though it is often very corrupt in 
" letters." Pierius. 

The King's, the Cambridge, the 
Bodleian manuscripts, and the old 
Nurenberg edition have cetas* Both 
the Arundelian, both Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts, several of the old edi- 
tions, Heinsius, Masvicius, Ruaeus, 



and most of the later editors read 
cestas. La Cerda reads cetas; but 
he thinks cestas not amiss, which he 
says is a phrase used by Virgil, 
twice in the first iEneid, and once 
in the fifth. The first of these pas- 
sages is not to our purpose, for he 
does not use cestas for a year, but 
only for a summer : 

Tertia dum Latio regnantern viderit 



Ternaque transierint Rutulis hyberna 
subactis. 

Here three summers are joined to 
three winters, in order to express 
three years. The second and third 
passages appear to me to come up 
to the point: though some critics 
contend that they mean only the 
summer season : 

Nam te jam septima portat 

Omnibus errantem terris et fluctibus 



And 

Septima post Trojee excidium jam vertitur 
aestas. 

Here cestas cannot, without great 
violence, be construed to signify 
the summer season. It was winter 
when iEneas was at Carthage : 

Indulge hospicio, causasque innecte mo- 

randi : 
Dum pslago desccvit liyems, et aquosus 

Orion ; 
Quassataeque rates, et non tractabile coe- 

lum. 

And 

Nunc hyemem, inter se luxu,quam longa, 
fovere. 

And 

Quin etiam hyhcrno moliris siderc clas- 

sem, 
Et mediis properas aquilonibus ire per 

altum. 



272 



P. VIRGILII MAEONIS 



and let him bend the alter- 
nate foldings of his legs; and 
let him -eem to labour ; then 
let h m rival the winds in 
swiftness; and flying through 
the plains, as if unbri led, let 
him scarce riut his footsteps 
on the top of the sand» As 
when the strong north wind 
rushes from the Hyperborean 
coasts, and dissipates 



Compositis, sinuetque alterna volumina crurum ; 
Sitque laboranti similis: turn cursibus auras 
Provocet, ac per aperta volans, ceu liber ha- 

benis, 
iEquora, vix summa vestigia ponat arena. 195 
Qualis Hyperboreis Aquilo cum densus ab oris 



The passage from Carthage to Sicily 
is very short, and the games in 
honour of Anchises, were cele- 
brated on the tenth day after the 
arrival of ^Eneas in Sicily. Iris 
therefore, in the form of Beroe, 
could not mean it was the summer 
season, when these games were ce- 
lebrated; since it has been evi- 
dently proved that it was the winter 
season, or, at most, early in the 
spring. 

JEsias however, in the passage 
now under consideration, may mean 
only the summer, which is the very 
same, as if he had said*a?i?ws. The 
time for covering mares, according 
to Varro, as I have quoted him, in 
the note on ver. 133, is from the 
vernal equinox to the summer sol- 
stice : and the mares, according to 
the same author, bring forth in 
eleven months and ten days. The 
time therefore of a colt's coming 
into the world is from the beginning 
of March to the beginning of June. 
The summer was reckon eel to begin 
a little before the middle of May. 
Thus the fourth summer of a colt's 
life will be when he is completely 
three years old. 

191. Gyrum.~\ See the note on 
ver. 115. 

193. Cursibus. ~\ In the old Nu- 
remberg edition it is cruribus. 

194- Provocet.~\ In one of the 
Arundelian manuscripts it is ad- 
vocet. 

196. Hyperboreis-.'] The Hyper- 
boreans are a people of whom not 



only the seat, but even the existence 
is called in question. The mention 
of them is very ancient, for we find 
Herodotus denying that there were 
any such people; and not without 
reason, if by Hyperborean be meant* 
as he understands the word, a peo- 
ple who lived beyond the rising of 
the north wind. But others, as 
Strabo tells us in his first book, 
call those Hyperboreans, who live 
in the most northern parts of the 

world : Tov ya.% 'Hge^orou /znlKvxg 
r ~f7ripQo£tovs tlvxi Qvte-xvTog .... Ei o 
u-^x, tov 'HqoSotov tovt i^pviv xItixg~§xi 

OTl T0V$ 'YTripQofiiOVS TiVTOVS V7TiXxZi Ag- 

yi<r$xi, 7TX(> oi$ Boezxg ov %nl. xxl 
ya.p it 01 7Toir,Tcct fAvSixaTigov ovra tyxeh, 
ol T itZYiyovftivoi to vyilg xv axovo-xuv, 
'X7TifiQofiiovg BoptioToirovg (fixo-l XiyiaSxi. 
In his seventh book he treats them 
as fabulous : Aix $z nro uyvotxv t&>v 
tottm Tovreui, ol rx Tikxix opy, xxi tov? 
'Y7TiP<>opiiov<; [tvSoTroiovvTig. Jn his 
eleventh book he tells us that the 
ancient Grecians called all the 
northern nations Scythians and 
Celto- Scythians ; but that the 
most ancient of all called those 
which lie to the north of the Black 
Sea, the Danube, and the Gulph of 
Venice, Hyperboreans, Sauromata 3 , 
and Arimaspians : "Attxvtxs filv fa 
rovg vpoirQoppcvs, xotvaig of Txlxiot ruv 
'EXXvivvv o-vyye^oKpUs , ZxvSat? xxi KsA- 
roo-xvB-xg \xoL\ovv. Oi 2' \rt nPOTiPoi 

ItilXoVTiq, TOVC, plv V7T££ TOV Ev^UVOV, XXI 

"ifpov, xxi 'A^pi'ov xxrontovirug , Ytt££- 
Zoeiovg zteyov, xxi H.xv^opxTxs, text 

' A^pxmovg. Pliny mentions the 



GEORG. LIB. III. 973 

Incubuit, Scythiaeque hyemes atque arida differt a»8cythian storms and dry 



Hyperboreans as fabulous, and 
places their supposed habitation at 
the very pole ; " At per oram ad 
" Tanaim usque Maeotae, a quibus 
" lacus nomen accepit : ultimique 
" a tergo eorum Arimaspi. Mox 
" Riphaei montes, et assiduo nivis 
" casu pinnarum similitudine, Pte- 
" rophoros appellata regio : pars 
et mundi damnata a natura rerum, 
" et densa mersa caligine : neque in 
" alioquam rigor is opere gelidisque 
" Aquilonis conceptaculis. Pone eos 
" montes, ultraque Aquilonem, gens 
" felix, si credimus, quos Hyperbo- 
** reos appellavere, annoso degit 
" aevo, fabulosis celebrata miraculis. 
" Ibi creduntur esse cardines mun- 
" di, extremique siderum ambitus, 
" semestri luce et una die solis aver- 
" si : non, ut imperiti dixere, ab 
" aequinoctio verno in autumnum. 
" Semel in anno solstitio oriuntur 
" iis soles ; brumaque semel occi- 
«• dunt." We find here that the 
Arimaspians lived to the northward 
of the river Tanais, and the lake 
Maeotis. They inhabited therefore 
the country which is now called 
Muscovy. On the north part of 
this country were situated the Ri- 
phaean mountains, where the snow 
is continually falling, in the shape 
of feathers, by which perhaps were 
meant the mountains of Lapland, 
on the north side of which the Hy- 
perboreans were supposed to inha- 
bit. Virgil also mentions the Hy- 
perboreans and the Tanais together, 
in the fourth Georgick : 

Solus Hyperloreas glacies, Tanatmque 

nivalem 
Arvaque Riphaeis nunquam viduata pru- 

inis 
Lustrabat. 

We find in the foregoing passage of 
Pliny, that the Ripheean mountains 



were imagined to be the source of 
the north wind, and that the Hy- 
perboreans dwelt still farther north- 
ward : which opinion, however ab- 
surd, seems to have been the origin 
of their name. These Hyperbo- 
reans were said to live to a great 
age, in wonderful felicity, and to 
dwell in woods and groves, without 
diseases or discord. This is true of 
the Laplanders, as all travellers tes- 
tify. I shall content myself with 
quoting the authority of my learned 
friend Dr. Linnaeus of Upsal, who 
travelled thither in 1732, and was 
pleased to send me an excellent ac- 
count of the plants of that country, 
under the title of Flora Laponica, 
printed at Amsterdam, in 1737, in 
8vo. Speaking of a dwarf sort of 
birch, which is greatly used in the 
Lapland ceconomy, he takes occa- 
sion to extol the felicity of the Lap- 
landers. He says they are free from 
cares, contentions, and quarrels, and 
are unacquainted with envy. They 
lead an innocent life, continued to 
a great age, free from myriads of 
diseases, with which we are afflicted. 
They dwell in woods, like the birds, 
and neither reap nor sow : " O fe- 
" lix Lappo, qui in ultimo angulo 
" mundi sic bene lates contentus et 
" innocens. Tu nee times annonae 
" charitatem, nee Martis praelia, 
" quae ad tuas oras pervenire ne- 
" queunt, sed florentissimas Europae 
" provincias et urbes, unico mo- 
" mento, saepe dejiciunt, delent. 
" Tu dorm is hie sub tua pelle ab 
" omnibus curis, contentionibus, 
" rixis liber, ignorans quid sit in- 
u vidia. Tu nulla nosti, nisi to- 
" nantis Jovis fulmina. Tu ducis 
cc innocentissimos tuos annos ultra 
" centenarium numerum cum faeili 
" senectute et summa sanitate. Te 
2 N 



274 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



clouds; then the tall corn, 
and waving fields shake with 
gentle blasts, and the tops of 
the woods rustle, and the long 
waves press towards the shore; 
tlie wind flies swift along, 
sweeping the fields and .seas 
at the same time in his flight. 
Such ahorse will either sweat 
at the goals and largest ring* 
of the Elean plain, 



Nubila : turn segetes aliee, campique natantes 
Lenibus horrescunt flabris, summaeque sonorem 
Dant sylvae, longique urgent ad littorafluctus. 
Ille volat,sirnul arva fuga, simui sequora verrens. 
Hie vel ad Elei metas et maxima campi 202 



"■ latent myriades morborum nobis 
" Europaeis communes. Tu vivis 
" in sylvis, avis istar, nee sementem 
" facis, nee metis, tamen alit te 
" Deus optimus optime. Tua or- 
" namenta sunt tremula arbor um 
" folia, graminosique luci. Tuus 
" potus aqua chrystallinae pelluci- 
" ditatis, quae nee cerebrum insania 
te adfieit, nee strumas in Alplbus 
u tuis producit. Cibus tuus est vel 
" verno tempore piscis recens, vel 
" aestivo serum lactis, vel autum- 
C( nali tetrao, vel hyemali caro re- 
" cens rangiferina absque sale et 
Ct pane, singula vice unico constans 
" ferculo, edis dum securus e lecto 
" surgis, dumque eum petis, nee 
" nosti venena nostra, quae latent 
ft sub dulci melle. Te non obruit 
'* scorbutus, nee febris intermittens, 
" nee obesitas, nee podagra, fibroso 
" gaudes corpore et alacri, animo- 
" que libero. O sancta innocentia, 
" estne hie tuus thronus inter Fau- 
" nos in summo septentrione, inque 
" vilissima habita terra ? numne 
" sic praefers stragula haec betulina 
" mollibus serico tectis plumis ? 
'* Sic etiam credidere veteres, nee 
" male." The learned reader will 
compare this with the latter part of 
the twelfth chapter of the fourth 
book of Pliny's Natural History. 

1,97- Scylhioe] See the note on 
book i. ver. 240. 

Arida dijfert ?iubila.] Thus Lu- 
cretius : 

— Venti vis verberat incita pontum 
Ingentesque ruit naves, et nubila differt. 

In the most northern countries the 
mists hang about the tops of the 



mountains, till they are dispelled 
by the north wind. Thus M. de 
Maupertuis observed under the 
arctic circle : " Je ne scai si c est 
" parce que la presence continuelle 
" du soleil sur l'horizon, fait elever 
" des vapeurs qu' aucune nuit ne 
" fait descendre; mais pendant les 
" deux mois que nous avons passe 
" sur les montagnes, le ciel etoit 
" toujours charge, jusqu' a ce que 
" le vent de Nord vint dissiper les 
" brouillards." 

198. Turn.] In the King's ma- 
nuscript it is cum; in one of the 
Arundelian, and in one of Dr, 
Mead's manuscripts it is dum. 

200 Langi.] Pierius says it is 
longe in the Medicean, and some 
other ancient manuscripts. 

201. Ille.} In one of the Arun- 
delian manuscripts it is ipse. 

Arva.] It is anna in the King's 
manuscript; which must be an 
error of the transcriber. 

202. Hie vel ad.] " In the Lom- 
" bard manuscript, and in another 
" very ancient one, it is hie vel ad, 
" as we read in the common copies. 
" In the Roman manuscript it is 
" hinc et ad Elei. In the oblong 
" manuscript also it is et, not vel." 
Pierius. 

Elei campir\ Servius tells us, 
that Elis is a city of Arcadia, where 
the chariot- races were celebrated : 
but it is certain that the Olympic 
games were celebrated, not at Elis, 
but at Olympia. The Pisaeans, in 
whose country Olympia was situ- 
ated, had many contentions with 
the Eleans, about the government 
of the Olympic games ; but at last, 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



275 



Sudabit spatia, et spumas aget ore cruentas: 
Belgica vel molli melius feret esseda collo. 



and will champ the bloody 
foam ; or will better bear the 
Belgic chariots with his obe- 
dient neck. 



the Eleans prevailing, the whole 
country between Achaia, Messenia, 
and Arcadia, came to be called 
Elis. The reader will find a long 
account of this in the eighth book 
of Strabo's Geography. The plains 
of Elis therefore are not the plains 
about the city of Elis, as Servius 
erroneously imagines, but the plains 
about Olympia, in the region of 
Elis. 5 

203. Spatia] See the note on 
book i. ver. 513. 

204. Belgica vel molli melius feret 
esseda collo.] This is generally un- 
derstood to mean, that the horse 
will be better for drawing common 
carriages : thus Dryden translates 
it : 

Or, bred to Belgian "waggons, lead the 

way; 
Untir'd at night, and cheerful all the 

day. 

But I think it is plain that the 
Poet speaks only of the generous 
horse, which is fit either for the 
races or war : 

Sin ad bella magis studium, turmasque 

feroces, 
Aut Alphaea rotis praelabi flumina Pisae, 
Et Jovis in luco currus agitare volantes. 

Here is no mention of domestic 
labour, but only of chariots and 
war. La Cerda observes that the 
esseda were used by private per- 
sons, in travelling, as well as in 
war; as appears from one of Ci- 
cero's Epistles: " Hie Vedius venit 
cc mihi obviam cum duobus essedis, 
" et rheda equis juncta, et lectica, 
e( et familia magna." There is an- 
other passage of the same kind in 
the second Philippic oration : " Ve- 
" hebatur in essedo tribunus plebis." 
But Virgil shews that he does not 



mean the common chariots, or esseda, 
by adding the epithet Belgica, or 
perhaps bellica, as it is in one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts, for we 
do not find the chariots of war 
ascribed to the Gauls, but to the 
Britons. Cicero mentions them in 
some of his Epistles to Trebatius, 
who was in Britain with Caesar: 
" Tu qui caeteris cavere didicisti, 
u in Britannia ne ab essedariis de- 
"■ cipiaris,caveto:" and "InBritan* 
'* nia nihil esse audio, neque auri, 
" neque argenti. Id si ita est, 
" essedum aliquod suadeo rapias, et 
" ad nos quam primum recurras :" 
and " Sed tu in re militari multo 
" es cautior, quam in advocationi- 
" bus: qui neque in oceano natare 
" volueris, studiosissimus homo na- 
" tandi, neque spectare essedarios." 
Caesar does not once mention the 
essedum, in his war with the Belgce: 
but we find them taken notice of, 
as soon as he approaches the Bri- 
tish shore : " At barbari, consilio 
" Romanorum cognito, praemisso 
" equitatu, et essedariis, quo ple- 
" rumque genere in praeliis uti con- 
" suerunt, reliquis copiis subsecuti, 
" nostros navibus egredi prohibe- 
Cl bant." A little afterwards we 
find him describing the manner in 
which the Britons fought with these 
esseda, as if he had not met with 
them in his other wars. I must 
therefore confess, I do not under- 
stand why Virgil calls them Belgica; 
and would willingly read Bellica, 
according to Dr. Mead's manuscript, 
if I did not think it too presump- 
tuous to alter the text, which has 
been generally received, upon the 
authority of a single manuscript. 

Molli.] " Domito : ut mollia colla 
" reflectunt." Servius. 
' " I take molli for domito, in op- 
2 N 2 



276 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



Then at last when they are 
tamed, let their ample bodies 
be distended with plentv of 
mixed provender ; for if they 
are high fed before they are 
tamed, they will be too full 
of mettle, and refuse to bear 
the tough whips, and to obey 
the biting curbs. But no in- 
dustry, that you can use, 
more confirms their strength, 
than to keep them from ve- 
nery, and the stings of blind 
lust: whether you delight 
more in hulls or in horses: 
and therefore the bulls are 
removed to a distance, and 
into solitary pastures, behind 
the obstacle of a mountain, 
and beyond broad rivers ; or 
are kept shut up within at 
full stalls. For the female by 
being seen consumes their 
strength, and wastes them by 
degrees, 



Turn derhum crassa magnum farragine corpus 
Crescere jam domitis sinito : namque ante do- 

mandum 206 

Ingentes tollent animos, prensique negabunt 
Verbera lenta pati, et duris parere lupatis. 
Sed non ulla magis vires industria firmat, 
Quam Venerem et caeci stimulos avertere 

amoris : 210 

Sive bourn, sive est cui gratiorusus equorum. 
Atque ideo taurus procul, atque in sola relegant 
Pascua, post montem oppositum, et trans flu- 

mina lata : 
Aut intus clausos satura ad praesepia servant. 
Carpit enim vires paullatim, uritque videndo 



te position to reluctanii," &c. Dr. 
Trapp. 

205. Turn.] It is iu in the King's 
manuscript. 

208. Lenla.~\ In the King's ma- 
nuscript it is dura. 

Lupatis. .] The curb is said to 
have been called lupatum, because 
it had unequal iron teeth, like the 
teeth of wolves. This strongly ex- 
presses the mettle of a headstrong 
horse, that he cannot be governed 
by such severe curbs, as we find 
used by the ancients. It is here 
put in opposition to mollibus capis- 
tris, mentioned before, by which 
perhaps is meant what we call a 
snaffle bit, as Dryden translates it : 

And then betimes in a soft snaffle wrought. 

209. Sed non ulla magis, &c.]} 
Having just mentioned the strength- 
ening of horses with rich food, the 
Poet takes occasion to tell us that 
nothing preserves the strength 
either of horses or bulls so much 
as keeping them from venery. 
Hence he slides into a beautiful 
account of the violent effects of 



lust on all the animated part of 
the creation. He first begins with 
bulls, describes their fighting for 
the female, and the various passions, 
with which the vanquished bull is 
agitated. 

Firmatr\ Pierius says it is servat 
in some ancient manuscripts : but 
that it is Jirmat in much the greater 
number. 

211* Equorum.] Columella ad- 
vises, that the good horses should 
be kept separate from the mares, 
except at the time designed for 
covering : " Equos autem pretiosos 
" reliquo tempore anni removere 
" oportet a foeminis, ne aut cum 
" volent, ineant, aut si id facere 
" prohibeantur, cupidine sollicitati 
" noxam contrahant. Itaque vel 
" in longinqua pascua marem pla- 
" cet ablegari, vel ad praesepia 
" contineri." These last words are 
almost the same which Virgil has 
used, with relation to bulls : 

Atque ideo tauros procul, atque in sola 
relegant 

Pascua. 

Aut intus clausos satura ad praesepia 



servant. 






GEORG. LIB. III. 



277 



Fsemina : nee nemorum patitur meminisse, 
nee herbse. 216 

Dulcibus ilia quidem illecebris, et saepe superbos 
Cornibus inter se subigit decernere amantes. 
Pascitur in magna sylva formosa juvenca : 
Till alternantes multa vi praelia miscent 220 
Vulneribus crebris : lavit ater corpora sanguis, 
Versaque in obnixos urgentur cornua vasto 
Cum gemitu, reboant sylvaeque et magnus 

Olympus. 
Nee mos bellantes una stabulare : sed alter 
Victus abit, longeque ignotis exulat oris, 225 
Multa gemens ignominiam, plagasque superbi 
Victoris; turn quos amisit inultus amores; 
Et stabula aspectans regnis excessit avitis. 
Ergo omni cura vires exercet, et inter 
Dura jacet pernix instrato saxa cubili, 230 



and makes tlicm forget the 
groves and pastures. She 
also with sweet allurements 
often impels the proud lovers 
to contend with their horns. 
The beauteous heifer feeds in 
the spacious wood, whilst they 
mutually engage with great 
force in battle with frequent 
wounds ; the black gore dis- 
tains their bodies ; their horns 
are violently urged against 
each other, with vast roar- 
ing, and the woods and great 
Olympus rebellow. Nor do 
the warriors use to dwell to- 
gether; but the vanquished 
retires, and becomes an exile 
in unknown distant coasts, 
grievously lamenting his dis- 
grace, and the wounds of the 
proud victor, and his loves 
which he has lost unrevenged, 
and casting his eye back atthe 
stalls, departs from his here- 
ditary realms. Therefore 
with all diligence he exer- 
cises his strength, and obsti- 
nately makes his bed on the 
hard stones, 



21 6. Meminisse nee herbce.] " In 
" the oblong manuscript it is neque, 
" which seems softer." Pierius. 

219. Sylva.] Servius says that 
some would read Sila, a mountain 
of Lucania; which alteration he 
justly thinks unnecessary. 

220. Illi alternantes multa vi prce- 
I'm miscent.'] Thus in the twelfth 
JLneid : 

Illi inter sese multa vi vulnera miscent, 
Cornuaque obnixi infigunt, et sanguine 

largo 
Colla armosque lavant: gemitu nemus 

omne remugit. 

It is tollunt instead of miscent in 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 

226. Multa.'] It is generally 
thought to be put adverbially : but 
La Cerda is of another opinion, 
who thus paraphrases this passage: 
" Gemit doletque multa, videlicet 
" ignominiam amissae gloriae, ac- 
" Cephas plagas, amores perditos." 



230. Pernix] So I read with 
Servius, who explains pernix perse- 
verans, and derives it a pernitendo. 
Pierius says it is pernix in all the 
manuscripts which he had seen, 
and speaks of pernox as an inno- 
vation. The King's, and one of 
the Arundelian manuscripts, most 
of the old editions, Paul Stephens, 
La Cerda, Heinsius, and Masvicius, 
have pernix. The Cambridge, the 
Bodleian, the other Arundelian, 
and both Dr. Mead's manuscripts 
have pernox. Ruaeus contends, that 
it ought to be pernox, and affirms 
that pernix has no where the sig- 
nification which Servius assigns to 
it, but always means swift, as per- 
nix Saturnus, and pedibus celerem et 
pemicibus alis. He says it cannot 
be supposed that Virgil would call 
his wearied bull swift, and there- 
fore he reads pernox with the two 
Scaligers. Grimoaldus also reads 



278 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and feeds on rough leaves and 
sharp rushes ; and tries him- 
self, and practises his horns 
against the trunk of a tree ; 
and pushes against the wind, 
and spurning the sand pre- 
pares to figtit. Afterwards, 
when his strength is collected, 
and his force regained, he 
marches on, and rushes head- 
long on his unsuspecting ene- 
my. 



Frondibus hirsutis, et carice pastus acuta : 
Et tentat sese, atque irasci in cornua discit 
Arboris obnixus trunco : ventosque lacessit 
Ictibus, et sparsa ad pugnam proludit arena. 
Post, ubi collectum robur, viresquereceptae, 235 
Signa movet, praecepsque oblitum fertur in 
hostem. 



pernox. La Cerda says all the old 
copies read pernix, which he ex- 
plains laboriosus, obstinatus, perti- 
nax, and derives from the old verb 
pernitor, with Servius. If pernox 
be admitted, our translation must 
be, " and makes his bed all night 
" on the hard stones." 

231. Carice acuta.'] This plant 
has so little said of it by the Roman 
writers, that it is hard to ascertain 
what species we are to understand 
by the name carex. It is here called 
sharp, which, if it be meant of the 
end of the stalk, is no more than 
what Ovid has said of the juncus, 
or common rush; <c acuta cuspide 
"junci:" it is mentioned but once 
more by Virgil ; 

■ Tu post carecta latebas : 

From which passage we can gather 
no more, than that these plants 
grew close enough together for a 
person to conceal himself behind 
them. Catullus mentions the carex 
along with the juncus, as being used 
to thatch a poor cottage : 

Hunc ego juvenes locum, villulamque 

palustrem, 
Tectam vimine junceo, caricisque mani- 

plis, 
Quercus arida, rustica conformata securi 
Nutrivi. 

Columella mentions the carex to- 
gether with fern, and tells what 
season is best to destroy them : 
" Filix quoque, aut carex ubicun- 
" que nascitur, Augusto mense 



* f recte extirpatur, melius tamen 
" circa Idus Julias ante caniculae 
" exortum." Since therefore it is 
difficult to determine what the carex 
is, from what the ancients have 
said of it; we must depend upon 
the authority of Anguillara, who 
assures us that about Padua and 
Vincenza they cali a sort of rush, 
careze, which seems to be the old 
word carex modernized. Caspar 
Bauhinus says it is that sort of 
rush which he has called Juncus 
acittus pankula sparsa. It is there- 
fore our common hard rush, which 
grows in pastures, and by way 
sides, in a moist soil. It is more 
solid, hard, and prickly at the point, 
than our common soft rush, which 
seems to be what the ancients called 
juncus. 

232. Irasci in cornua, &c.J Thus 
also in the twelfth ^Eneid : 

Mugitus veluti cum prima in praelia 

taurus 
Terrificos ciet, atque irasci in cornua 

tentat, 
Arboiis obnixus trunco, ventosque lacessit 
Ictibus, et sparsa ad pugnam proludit 



234. E/.] Pierius says it is aut 
in the Roman manuscript, hut he 
does not approve of it. 

235. Receptee.'] Fulvius Ursinus 
says it is refects in the old Colotian 
manuscript. Heinsius acknow- 
ledges the same reading, in which 
be is followed bv Masvicius. 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



2?y 



Just as when a wave begins 
to whiten far off in the mid- 



Fluctus uti medio coepit cum albescere ponto 

Longius, ex altoque sinum trahit ; utque volutus from^hede^p' and !Sung"o 



237. Flucius uti medio.] So I find 
it in both the Arundelian, and in 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 
Pierius found the same reading in 
the Roman, the Medicean, the 
Lombard, and other very ancient 
manuscripts. In the oblong ma- 
nuscript he found Fluctus uti in 
medio, which he seems to approve : 
it is the same in the King's manu- 
script. Dr. Mead's other manu- 
script has fluctus aut in medio, where 
out no doubt is an error of the 
transcriber for lit. In the Cam- 
bridge and Bodleian manuscripts it 
is Fluctus ut in medio, which reading 
is received in almost all the printed 
editions. We have almost the same 
line in the seventh iEneid : 

Fluctus uti primo coepit cum albescere 
vento. 

This simile seems to be taken 
from the fourth Iliad : 

O^vvt ifizfftrvrtgov Z,^v^ov uToxtvwccvrot, 
liovru /u.iv ret -u^uto. xoguo-fftrctf, avrag 

tTtiret 
Kigffu pyyvvpivov pzyxXa. (igiftii) a(L<$t 1i 

T «X£«J 

Kv^tov lev xogvQovTUi, kwotfrvu V aXes 

XI j tot l-recffffursgai Aa.va.rn kUvvto <p«- 

kayyt; 
Y\U)Xi(^'iu>$ zsoXiu.0^1. 

As when the winds, ascending by de- 
grees, 
First move the whitening surface of the 

seas, 
The billows float in order to the shore, 
The wave behind rolls on the wave 

before, 
Till, with the growing storm, the deeps 

arise, 
Foam o'er the rocks, and thunder to the 

skies, 
So to the fight the thick battalions 

throng, 
Shields urg'd on shields, and men drove 

men along. 

Mr. Popi. 



238. Longius, ex altoque sinum 
trahit.] The comma is generally 
placed at the end of the preceding 
verse, which makes the interpreta- 
tion of these words very difficult. 
But I think all the difficulty is re- 
moved by placing the comma after 
longius. Virgil is here comparing 
the bull's first preparing himself to 
renew the fight, to a wave begin- 
ning to whiten and swell, at a great 
distance from the shore, in the 
middle of the sea I hen as the 
wave rolls towards the land, with 
a dreadful roaring among the rocks, 
and falls upon the shore like a huge 
mountain 3 so the bull comes fu- 
riously roaring against his unsus- 
pecting enemy, and impetuously 
rushes upon him. 

Sinum trahit is, I believe, a sin- 
gular expression ; and I do not find 
it explained by the commentators. 
Sinus usually signifies some sort of 
cavity, as the bosom of any person, 
or a bay : it is used also to signify 
a waving line, like the motion of a 
snake. The Poet seems to conceive 
a wave to be a hollow body, and 
therefore calls the inner part of it 
its sinus or bosom. Thus in the 
eleventh ^Eneid, he speaks of a 
wave pouring its bosom over the 
farthest part of the shore : 

Qualis ubi alterno procurrens gurgite' 

pontus, 
Nunc ruit ad terras, scopulosque super- 

jacit undam 
Spumeus, extremamque sinu perfundit 



In the seventh iEneid, where we 
have a simile, not much unlike 
that now under consideration, we 
have altius undas erigit, which I 
take to mean the same with ex alto 
sinum trahit. 



280 



P. VIRGILIi MARONIS 



the land, makes a dreadful 
roaring among the rocks, and 
falls like a huge mountain: the 
bottom of the water boils with 
whirlpools, and tosses the 
black sand on high. Every 
kind also of living creatures, 
both men and wild beasts, 
and the inhabitants of the 
seas, cattle, and painted birds, 
rush info fury and flames : 
lust is the same in all. At no 
other time does the lioness 
forgetting her whelps wander 
over the plains with greater 
•fierceness; nor do the shape- 
less bears make such havoc 
in the woods ; then is the 
boar fieree,and the tyger most 
dangerous. Then alas ! it is 
ill wandering in the desert 
fields of Lvbia. Do you not 
see how the horse trembles 
all over, if he does but snuff 
the well-known gales i 



Ad terras, immane sonat per saxa, neque ipso 
Monte minor procumbit: at ima exaestuat unda 
Vorticibus,nigramque alte subjectat arenam. 241 
Omne adeo genus in terris hominumque fera- 

rumque, 
Et genus aequoreum, pecudes, pictseque volu- 

cres, 
In furias ignemque ruunt: amor omnibus idem. 
Tempore non alio catulorum oblita leasna 245 
Seevior erravit campis : nee funera vulgo 
Tam multa informes ursi stragemque dedere 
Per sylvas: turn saevus aper, turn pessima tigris. 
Heu ! male turn Lybiag solis erratur in agris. 
Nonne vides, uttota tremor pertentet equorum 
Corpora, si tantum notas odor atlulit auras? 251 



Fluctus uti primo coepit cum albescere 

vento : 
Paalatim sese tollit mare, et altius undas 
JErigit, inde imo consurgit ad sethera 

fundo. 

239. Neque.] Pierius says it is 
neque in the Lombard manuscript, 
which he approves. Heinsins also 
has neque. In most editions it is 
nee. 

240. At.] In the King's manu- 
script it is ac. 

241. Forticibus.] Heinsius and 
Masvicius read verticibus, which 
Pierius also observed in the Roman 
and Medicean manuscripts. 

Subjectat.~] Pierius found sub- 
vectat in the Roman manuscript, 
which he seems to approve. 

242. Omne adeo genus, &c] Hav- 
ing spoken of the fury which lust 
causes in bull?, he takes occasion 
to mention the violent effects of it 
in other animals, and also in man- 
kind. 

]n this whole paragraph, the Poet 
seems to have had before him the 
eighteenth chapter of Aristotle's 



sixth book of the History of Ani- 
mals. 

248. Sylvas.] It is sylvam in one 
of the Arundelian manuscripts, and 
in some printed editions. 

249. Heu ! male turn Lyb'uz, &c] 
Aristotle speaking of bears, wolves, 
and lions, says they are dangerous 
to those that come near them, not 
having frequent fights between 
themselves, because they are not 
gregarious : Toy uvtov dl r^aTrov xxt 

i7Ti TOV aypi6>V. KXt y«£ 0,(>Z.TOi, xect 

Xvy.tn, kx) hiovris x,ccte7roi ro7g -zrhriG-tct- 

fyv(Tl yiVOVTXl STl^i TOV KXlgOV TOVTOV. 

■zrpbg txXXvMvs $ qrrov fioc^ovrxi, oix ra 
(til uyiXxiov iivc&i pv^iy ray toiovtm Zauy. 

Lybia is the Greek name for 
Africa, according to Pliny : " Afri- 
" cam Grseci Lybiam appellavere." 
This country abounds with the 
fiercest wild beasts. 

249. Erratur.} Pierius says it 
is versatur in a very ancient manu- 
script, and erravit in the Medicean. 

Agris.] It is arms in the Cam- 
bridge, the Arundelian, and one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



281 



Ac neque eos jam fraena, virum neque verbera 



saeva, 



Non scopuli, rupesque cavae, aut objecta retar- 

dant 
Flumina, correptosque unda torquentia montes. 
Ipse ruit, dentesque Sabellicus exacuit sus, 255 
Et pede prosubigit terram, fricat arbore costas 



And now neither bridles, nor 
the severe scourges of the 
riders, not rocks and caverns, 
and rivers interposed, that 
whirl mountains along with 
their torrents, can restrain 
them. Even the Sabellian 
boar rushes, and whets his 
tusks, and tears the ground 
with his feet, and rubs his 
sides backwards and forwards 
against a tree, 



252. Ac] It is at in the old 
Nurenberg edition. 

Frcena, virum neque verbera sceva.] 
The comma is usually placed after 
virum; 1 have ventured to place it 
after fr&'ia. 

253. Non.] It is nee in the 
King's manuscript. 

254. Correptosque unda torquentia 
montes~] The common reading is 
correptos without que: but Pierius 
found correptosque in the Medicean, 
the Roman, the Lombard, and other 
ancient manuscripts. The same 
reading is in the King's, the Cam- 
bridge, the Bodleian, and both the 
Arundelian manuscripts. Heinsius, 
Schrevelius, Masvicius, and some 
others also admit que. 

255. Ipse ruit, &c] Aristotle 
speaking of the wild boars says, 
that at this time they rage horribly, 
and fight one with another, making 
their skins very hard by rubbing 
against trees, and by often rolling 
themselves in the mud, and letting 
it dry, make their backs almost im- 
penetrable ; and fight so furiously 
that both of them are often killed : 
Kxt ol vi$ ol xy^toi y i x\i7roorxroi, i xximp 
ecTJinrxroi -sripl rov xxtpov tovtov ovn$ , 
dix Tvv oyplxv, XXI ss-pog xXXvi\ov$ fih 
■srotoZvTZg /^d^xg B-xvf/.xfceg Sagaxi^ovris 
ixvrovsy kxI -srotovvng to o^ipftx aq -3tX- 
y^vrxrov ix -stxpxg-kivw , zrpog ret divo'px 
diXTf>^ovri<; xxt t£> nyX*) [toXvvovTts 7roX- 

XxXi$, xxl %/lflXlVOVTi? ZXVTOVg. fiX^OVTXl 

ol ^rpo<; a\Xvj\ov$ l^iXxvvovng I« rav rvo- 
(pofiuw ovru o-Qoo'peisj a<n ttoAAcoc*? 



kp.tyl'vippk x7ro$vK<r)cov<n*. La Cerda 
contends that the Poet is here 
speaking of the wild boar, contrary 
to the opinion of Servius and the 
other commentators. But I believe 
they are in the right; for Virgil 
had spoken before of the wild boar ; 
"turn scevus aper :*' and here he 
says even the Sabellian boar rages ; 
" ipse Sabellicus sus :" that is, not 
only the wild boar, but even the 
tame one rages at this time; and, 
to make his description the stronger, 
he ascribes to the tame boar, what 
Aristotle has said of the wild one. 

256. Et pede prosubigit.] In the 
old Paris edition of 1494, it is Et 
pedihus subigit. 

Fricat arbore costas atque June at- 
que illinc, humerosque ad vulnera 
durat.] So I read with the Bod- 
leian, one of the Arundelian, and 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 
Pierius found the same reading in 
the Roman, the Medicean, and 
other ancient manuscripts. It is 
the same in the old Nurenberg edi- 
tion, in an old edition by Jacobus 
Rubeus, printed at Venice in 1475, 
in the old Paris edition of 1494, 
and some other old editions. The 
common reading is thus, fricat ar- 
bore castas, atque hinc atque illinc 
humeros ad vulnera durat. I take 
atque hinc atque illinc to belong to 
fricat arbore costas; for the boar 
rubs his sides backwards and for- 
wards against a tree; but the hu- 
meros ad vulnera durat, the harden- 
2o 



262 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and hardens his shoulders 
against wounds. What does 
the young man, in whose 
bones cruel love excites the 
mighty fire? In the dead of 
night he swims the seas tossed 
with bursting storms; over 
whom the vast gate of hea- 
ven thunders; and whom the 
seas dashed on the rocks 



Atque hinc atque illinc, humerosque ad vulnera 

durat. 
Quid juvenis, magnum cui versat in ossibus 

ignera 
Durus amor ? nempe abruptis turbata procellis 
Noctenatat caeca serusfreta: quern super ingens 
Porta tonat cseli, et scopulis illisa reclamant 261 



ing his shoulders against wounds, 
relates to the rolling in mud, and 
baking it upon his skin, so as to 
make a sort of coat of armour, as 
we read just now, in the quotation 
from Aristotle. 

258. Quid juvenis , &c.] Here 
the Poet no doubt alludes to the 
well known story of Leander and 
Hero. But with great judgment 
he avoids mentioning the particular 
story, thereby representing the 
whole species, as ready to encoun- 
ter the greatest dangers, when 
prompted by lust. Dryden was not 
aware of this, who, in his transla- 
tion, has put all the verbs in the 
preterperfect tense, and even men- 
tions Sestos, the habitation of 
Hero: 

What did the youth, when love's un- 
erring dart 

Transfix' d his liver; and inflam'd his 
heart? 

Alone, by night, his wat'ry way he 
took ; 

About him, and above, the billows 
broke : 

The sluices of the sky "were open spread ; 

And rolling thunder rattled o'er his 
head. 

The raging tempest calVd him back in 
vain; 

And every boding omen of the main. 

Nor could his kindred ; nor the kindly 
force 

Of weeping parents, change his fatal 
course. 

No, not the dying maid, who must de- 
plore 

His floating carcase on the Sestian 
shore. 



Cui.] It is cum in the King's 
manuscript. 

261. Porta tonat call, &c] The 
commentators are greatly divided 
about the meaning of the gate of 
heaven. Servius interprets it the 
air full of clouds, through which 
the passage lies to heaven : " Aer 
t( nubibus plenus, per quem iter in 
" caelum est." Grimoaldus para- 
phrases it according to this inter- 
pretation : " Cum interim aer (per 
" quem iter est factum) nubibus 
" erat obsitus." La Cerda's note 
on this passage deserves to be tran- 
scribed entire, and I shall here pre- 
sent the reader with a translation of 
it: " By the gate of heaven Turne- 
" bus understands the hemisphere : 
" Manutius the air full of clouds, 
" through which the passage lies 
" to heaven. Others interpret it 
" the east and west, of which no- 
" tion I speak in another place: 
" others a cloud, which is not 
" much amiss ; for as that noise is 
" made in a cloud, which bursts 
" out together with the thunder, 
" it seems to have the appearance 
" of a gate opening to let out the 
" fire. You may take it for the 
** north, where is the hinge of 
"heaven, which the Greeks call 
" KoXoi, and by the help of imagin- 
" ation, may be called a gate and 
" a threshold. Ovid will invite 
" you to this interpretation, who 
*' makes Leander, in his Epistle, 
" address himself to Boreas, which 



GEORG. LIB. III. 283 

7n • , n n n v/m(oi! forbid : nor can his miserable 

iEquora ; nee misen possunt revocare parentes, parent > s recall him , 



" blows from that quarter of the 
<f heavens, as withstanding his at- 
" tempt. But 1 have ventured to 
" differ from all others, in explain- 
" ing this passage of Virgil. Vir- 
" gil, Ennius, Homer have spoken 
" of the gate of heaven according 
r * to the following notion : the an- 
" cients feigned Jupiter to be in a 
'f certain temple of heaven, espe- 
" cially when he thundered and 
" lightened. Thus Varro, in Satyra 
" Bimarco : 

" Tunc repente ccelitum 

" Altum tonitribus templum tonescit : 

'* for so we must read, and not ccz- 
" lum: and Lucretius, lib. i. 

" Cceli tonitralia templa. 

" And lib. vi. 

*« Fumida cum cadi scintittant omnia tern- 
« pla. 

" Terence, in Eunucho, 

f Qui templa cceli summa sonitu 

" concutit. 

" Hence I gather, that gates may 
" be imagined in heaven, temples 
" being feigned already : so that 
?' we may understand that those 
" gates of the temples opened to 
'« let out the thunderbolts. Hence 
" Silius, lib. i. 



Tonat alii regia cceli. 



f< Therefore they understand by 
" templum cceli ; sometimes a parti- 
" cular part of the heavens, as it 
" were the pal act of Jupiter; some- 
** times the whole heaven, which 
"I rather believe; certainly it is 
<c natural, that they should ascribe 
" doors to this temple. Not very 
" different from this is the fiction 
" of Homer, in the eighth Iliad : 



t( Avre/iarai Ti zvuXcti ftvxov ev^uveu, us 
'* T>jf Wirirgwrrcu piyus ovgxvos, cilXu/u,- 
" 'H/ih avuKXTvat zrvxtvev vtffos, j& ixi* 

" Heav'n gates spontaneous open to the 

** pow'rs, 
" Heav'n's golden gates, kept by the 

M winged hours, 
" Commission'd in alternate watch they 

" stand, 
" The sun's bright portals, and the skies 

** command; 
" Close, or unfold, th' eternal gates of 

" day, 
" Bar heav'n with clouds, or roll those 

?* clouds away. 

Me. Pope. 

" As Virgil uses porta cceli, so Ca- 
" tullus cceli janua, and before them 
" both Ennius; Mi soli cceli maxi- 
"ma porta patet : and before all 
" Homer ; uvropotrcti 21 7rvXeci pvxov 
" cfyxvov." Ruaeus highly approves 
of this interpretation. But Catrou 
thinks it means the east and west, 
and will have Virgil here be sup- 
posed to express, that the storm 
came from the west, because Sestos 
is to the westward of Abydos : 
" Ces expressions, porta tonat cceli, 
" meritent attention. Par la porte 
" du Ciel il faut entendre, ou celle 
" par ou le soleil entre sur l'horison, 
11 et e'est l'Orient : ou celle par 
" oii il en sort, et e'est l'Occident. 
<e Ici Virgile semble vouloir dire, 
" que Torage venoit d'Occident, 
" puisque Sestos est occidental, en 
" egard a Abydos." This is being 
very minute indeed : but I believe 
Virgil would not have used the 
gate of heaven, to express the west, 
when it might as well have sig- 
nified the east, without adding some 
epithet, to make his meaning evi- 
dent. Besides, it is the north wind 
that would have withstood Lean- 
der's intent; and Ovid, as La 
2o2 



284 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



must^e S^coSequen^S Nec moritura super crudeli funere vlrgo. 
thes^ottffounMso«icchi°, Quid Lynces Bacchi variae, et genus acre lupo- 

and the fierce kind of wolves, 
and dogs? What do the 
timorous stags, what fierce 



war do they wage i 



rum, 
Atque canum ? quid, quas imbelles dant praelia 



cervi 



Cerda rightly observes, supposed 
the. north wind to oppose his 
passage : 

At tu de rapidis immansuelissime ventis, 
Quid mecum certa praelia ments ge- 
ris? 
In me, si nescis, Borea, non aequcra, 
saevis. 
Quid faperes, esset ni tibi notus arrior? 
Tam gelidus cum. sis, non te tamen, im- 
probe, quondam 
Tgnibus Actseis incaluisse negas. 
Gaudia rapturo si quis tibi claudere vellet 

Aerios aditus : quo paterere modo ? 
Parce precor; facilemque move modera- 
tius auram. 
Imperet Hippotades sic tibi triste ni- 
hil. 

To conclude; as Virgil did not de~ 
sign to give a minute account of 
Leander's particular action it can- 
not be imagined, that he would 
have taken pains to let his readers 
know, that the west wind was op- 
posite to those who would sail from 
Abydos ; if that had been true. 
But, in reality, it is the north wind, 
or Boreas, which was always reck- 
oned to blow from Thrace; and 
Sestos is known to have been on 
the Thracian shore. 

26l. Scopulis illisa reclamont 
azquora.'] Catrou interprets this of 
the waves pushing back Leander 
from the coast of Sestos ; " Les 
" flots repoussoient Leandre de la 
" cote de Sestos, vers Abydos sa 
(C patrie." But surely the Poet's 
meaning is, that the waves dashing 
violently on the rocks in a storm 
ought not to prevent any one from 
venturing out to sea. 

263. Virgo.'] This word is not 



used by the Poets in so strict a 
sense, as we use the word virgin. 
Thus Pasiphae is called virgo, in 
the sixth Eclogue, in two places : 

Ah, virgo infelix, quae te dementia 
cepit { 

And 

Ah, virgo infelix, tu nunc in montibus 
erras. 

264. Lynces Bacchi varice.'] The 
ounce, the tiger, and the leopard, 
are said to be the animals, by which 
the chariot of Bacchus was drawn. 
Thus Ovid : 

Ipse racemiferis frontem circumdatus 

uvis, 
Pampineis agitat velatam frondibus 

hastam. 
Quern circa tigris, simulacraque inania 

hjiieum, 
Pictarumque jacent fera corpora panihe- 

rarum. 

The difference between these ani- 
mals not being commonly well 
known, I shall here set down the 
marks by which they are distin- 
guished. The tiger is as large, or 
larger than a lion, and marked 
with long streaks. The leopard is 
smaller than the tiger, and marked 
with round spots. The ounce or 
lynx is of a reddish colour, like a 
fox, marked with black spots: the 
hairs are gray at the bottom, red 
in the middle, and whitish at the 
top; those, which compose the 
black spots, are only of two colours, 
having no white at the top. The 
eyes are very bright and fiery ; and 
the ears are tipped with thick 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



285 



Scilicet ante omnes furor est insignis equarum : 
Et mentem Venus ipsa dedit, quo tempore 

Glauci 
Potniades malis membra absumpsere quadrigae. 
Illas ducit amor trans Gargara, transque so- 

nantem 269 

Ascaniura: superant monies, et flumina tranant. 



But the rage of mares far ex- 
ceeds all the rest , and Venus 
herself inspired them, when 
the Potnian mares tore Glau- 
cus in pieces with their jaws. 
Lust leads them beyond Gar- 
garus, and beyond roaring 
Ascanius: rhey climb over 
the mountains, and. swim, 
through the rivers ; 



shining hairs, like black velvet. 
It is an animal of exceeding fierce- 
ness. 

265. Quid, quce imbelles dant 
prcelia cervi?~\ In the Cambridge, 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts, 
and several of the old printed edi- 
tions, it is quidque. 

Our great Harvey, who had par- 
ticularly studied these animals, and 
had perhaps better opportunities of 
being acquainted with their nature, 
than any man, observes, in his trea- 
tise of the Generation of Animals, 
that stags are very furious about 
rutting time, and assault men and 
dogs, though at other times they 
are very timorous, and run away 
at the barking of the smallest dog : 
<c Eodem tempore, furore libidinis 
" saeviunt ; canes, hominesque ad- 
" oriuntur : alias vero timidi valde, 
'* et imbelles sunt ; ac vel a mi- 
" nimae caniculae latratu, sese con- 
" tinuo in fugam proripiunt." The 
same author observes, that after 
the stag has impregnated all his 
females, he grows exceedingly ti- 
morous : "Mas,postquam foemellas 
" suas implevit, defervescit ; si- 
" mulque timidior factus, ac maci- 
" lentior, gregem deserit; vagatur 
" solus ; avideqne pascitur, ut at- 
" tritas vires resarciat ; nee fcemi- 
" nam aliquam postea toto anno 
<< aggreditur.'' 

266. Scilicet ante omnes.] Having 
digressed, to give an account of the 
mischievous effects of lust on the 



whole animal creation ; he now re- 
turns to speak of horses, which 
seem all this while to have been 
forgotten. Here he describes the 
extraordinary venereal fury of 
mares; and then corrects himself, 
for having spent so much time in 
excursions about this passion. 

Furor est insignis equarum.] Aris- 
totle says, that mares are the most 
libidinous of all female animals : 
that this fury of theirs is called 
ix7rop<x.nh, whence that word is ap- 
plied, by way of reproach, to las- 
civious women : Tw $i SviXuav agpj- 
Ttx.a>s s%ovcrt sr^os rov <rvvovx<rpov, [tot- 
"hisu. f&h (7T7ro<;, Z7TSiTct fiovg. ai piv citv 
tXTToi ut SiljXuou i7r7T6^ecvov<rtv . cS^gy xect 

fiVi TKV fiXoKjrtPufltXV TO 0V6[*U CCVTM g7T<- 
(p'lpeVG-lV, U7T0 fAOVOV TUV ZwUi TV.V Iff) TUP 

oDcoXciis-m, %%£ to u<P£ol)io-toi£t<rSoti. 

267. Glauci Potniades malis mem- 
bra absumpsere quudrigce.] Potnia 
was a town of Bceotia, near Thebes. 
Of this town was Glaucus the son 
of Sisyphus, who restrained the 
four mares, which drew his cha- 
riot, from the company of horses, 
in order to make them more swift 
for the race. Venus is said to have 
been so highly offended at this 
violation of her rites, that she raised 
such a fury in the mares, that they 
tore their master limb from limb. 

269. Gargara] See the note on 
book i. ver. 102. 

270. Ascanium.'] This is the 
name of a river of Bithynia. But 
Gargarus and Ascanius seem to be 



286 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



SS£SKJmSS "S Continuoque avidis ubi subdita flamma medullis, 

marrow, especially in the -r T • i ■>. .. 

spring, for in me spring the V ere mams, quia vere calor redit ossibus, lllae 

heat returns into their bones, ° x 7 

Sew^StttsSSoS ° re omnes versa; in Zephyrum stant rupibus 
therocks ' altis, 273 



put here for any mountain and 
river. 

271. Continuo.] See the note on 
ver. 75. 

272. Quia vere calor redit,'] VI- 
erius says it is quia vere redit calor, 
in the Roman manuscript. 

273. Ore omnes versce in Zephy- 
rum.'] The impregnation of mares 
by the wind is mentioned by a 
great variety of authors. Homer 
speaks of the horses of Achilles, as 
being begotten by the west wind. 
See the quotation from Homer, in 
the note on magni currus Achillis, 
ver. Q1. 

Aristotle says, that at the time 
the mares have this fury upon 
them, they are said to be impreg- 
nated by the wind : for which rea- 
son, in the island of Crete, they 
never separate the mares from the 
stallions. When they are thus af- 
fected, they leave the rest, and run, 
not towards the east or west, but 
towards the north or south, and 
suffer no one to come near them, 
till either they are. quite tired down, 
or come to the sea. At this time 
they emit something, which is called 
Hippomanes, and is gathered to be 
used as a charm : Aiyovreci 21 xui 
l^otvif^ovo-B-at 7T&£i tov ko&ipov rovrov. 2to 
h Kgjfnj ovx i%eu'i>6Vff-i ra. hftucc Ik rav 
Sqteiav, orciv 21 tovto Ttrd^an., Biov<riv 
he rm aXXiJv Yfrv&t. eV< 21 to 7roiSog, 
©Treg hri vcov teysTcti to tcX7C^av. Szovtri 

21 OVTi 7rpOS 60, OUTi 7TP0$ 2vO~fAU,<; ) uXXX 
VPOg U.PKTOV, »j VOTOV. OTO&V 2& ifATrzo-y TO 

■ztcjS-o?, ovhztcc \Scri 7rAjjc-<flf£s<v, £&>? otv >j 
airiiftUGrk 2 to. tov 7ro'vov, jj ttpIs B-ctXxtrcrxv 
sXSwo-i, tots o bcQccXXova-i ri. x.ocXovo~i 
2i Keti tqvto, wo-fti^ \x\ rov Ttxrop'ivov, 



tiriropetvtg. sV* 21 oiov jj kcmtpIcx.. kcu 
fyrovo-i rovro pxXiroi icoivTm ot %ip) 
rut; (px^pxKuxs. Varro affirms it is 
a certain truth, that about Lisbon 
some mares conceive by the wind, 
at a certain season, as hens con- 
ceive what is called a wind egg, 
but that the colts conceived in 
this manner do not live above three 
years : " In foetura res incredibilis 
" est in Hispania, sed est vera, 
" quod in Lusitania ad ocean um, 
ft in ea regione ubi est oppidum 
" Olysippo, monte Tugro, quaedam 
" e vento concipiunt certo tempore 
" equae, ut hie gallinee quoque so- 
" lent, quarum ova vxm^x appel- 
" lant." Columella says great care 
must be taken of the mares about 
their horsing time, because if they 
are restrained, they rage with lust, 
whence that poison is called Ixko- 
fixn$, which excites a furious lust, 
like that of mares : that there is 
no doubt, but that in some coun- 
tries the females burn with such 
vehement desires, that if they can- 
not enjoy the male, they conceive 
by the wind, like hens : and that 
in Spain, which runs westward 
towards the ocean, the mares have 
frequently foaled, without having 
had the company of a stallion, but 
these foals are useless, because they 
die in three years : " Maxime ita- 
" que curandum est praedicto tem- 
pore anni, ut tam fceminis, quam 
" admissariis desiderantibus coe- 
" undi fiat potestas, quoniam id 
" praecipue armentum si prohibeas, 
" libidinis extimulatur furiis, unde 
' ' etiam veneno inditum est nomen 
" i7rxofcecns, quod equinae cupidini 



GEORG. LIB. III. 287 

Exceptaiitque leves auras : et saepe sine ullis andrecriwthegentiebreeze 



" similem mortalibus amorem ac- 
" cendat. Nee dubium quin aliquot 
" regionibus tanto flagrent ardore 
" coeundi foeminse, ut etiam si 
" marem non habeant, assidua et 
" nimia cupiditate figurantes sibi 
u ipsae venerem, cohortalium more 
" avium, vento concipiant. Quae 
" enim poeta licentius dicit: Scili- 
" cet ante omnes, &c. Cum sit no- 
" tissimum etiam in Sacro monte 
" Hispaniae, qui procurrit in occi- 
" dentem juxta oceanum, frequen- 
t( ter equas sine coitu ventrem per- 
€ t tulisse, foetumque educasse, qui 
*' tamen inutilis est, quod triennio 
" prius quam adolescat, morte ab- 
<c sumitur. Quare, ut dixi, dabimus 
" operam, ne circa aequinoctium 
" vernum equae desideriis naturali- 
" bus angantur." Pliny mentions 
Lisbon as a place famous for mares 
conceiving by the west wind: 
" Oppida memorabilia a Tago in 
" ora, Olisippo equarum e favonio 
" vento conceptu nobile." In an- 
other place he says, it is well 
known, that in Portugal, about 
Lisbon and the river Tagus, the 
mares turn themselves against the 
west wind, are impregnated by it, 
and bring forth colts of exceeding 
swiftness, but dying at three years 
old : " Constat in Lusitania circa 
" Olyssiponem oppidum et Tagum 
i( amnem, equas Favonio flante ob- 
ft versus animalem concipere spiri- 
" turn, idque partum fieri, et gigni 
" pernicissimum ita, sed triennium 
" vitae non excedere." These quo- 
tations are sufficient to shew, that 
it was generally believed by the 
ancients that mares were impreg- 
nated by the western wind. We 
see that even the gravest prose 
writers assert the truth of this, 
and that they even bring forth 



colts, which live three years. Virgil 
however is very cautious : he does 
not mention the colts ; but sup- 
poses only a false conception, 
within which bounds Aristotle alone 
contains himself, of all the writers 
whom we have just now quoted. 
The west wind, or Zephyrus, was 
always reckoned to lead on the 
spring, and to infuse a genial 
warmth through the whole crea- 
tion. Pliny says this wind opens 
the spring, beginning usually to 
blow about the eighth of February; 
and that all vegetables are married 
to it, like the mares in Spain : 
" Primus est conceptus, flare in- 
" cipiente vento Favonio circiter 
<e fere sextum Idus Februarii. Hoc 
*' enim maritantur vivescentia e 
" terra, quo etiam equae in His- 
" pania, ut diximus. Hie est ge- 
" nitalis spiritus mundi, a fovendo 
" dictus, ut quidam existimavere. 
" Flat ab occasu aequinoctiali, ver 
" inchoans. Catulitionem rustici 
" vocant, gestiente natura semina 
' ' accipere, eaque animam inferente 
" omnibus satis." Thus also our 
Poet, in the second Georgick : 

Parturit almus ager : Zephyrique tepen- 
tibus auris 

Laxant arva sinus : superat tener om- 
nibus humor. 

How far the mares are really af- 
fected, we must leave to be decided 
by the philosophers of Spain and 
Portugal. But that hens will lay 
eggs without the assistance of the 
cock, is a well known fact: and it 
is as well known, that such eggs 
never produce a living animal. 
These fruitless eggs are called by 
us wind eggs, as Varro calls them 
v7rwA[uoe, : and thus Aristotle uses a 
like expression with regard to the 
njares, IZocnpovvSou. 



288 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS- 



r/beSJg Conjugiis vento gravidas, mirabile dictu ! 275 

i wind, c< „ i i ii 



wonderful to te!I ! without 
the stallion's assistance, 
impregnated bv the wmu, r, 

they fly over hiiis, and rocks, oaxa per, et scopulos, et depressas convalies 

and dales j not towards thy * - -* 

SS^h^norto^ Diffugiunt; non, Eure, tuos, neque solis ad 



ortus ; 



277. Non, Eure, tuos, &c] Here 
Virgil widely differs from Aristotle; 
who says expressly that they run, 
neither towards the east, nor west, 
but towards the north or south. 
Hence some of the critics have 
taken great pains to draw the phi- 
losopher and the poet into the same 
opinion. In order to this, some 
have supposed the poet's meaning 
to be that they run, not towards 
the east, but towards the north, 
west, and south. Thus Grimoal- 
dus paraphrases it: "Non orien- 
" tern solem versus, sed in septen- 
" trionem, in occidentem, et in 
e( austrum nebulosum atque plu- 
" viosum." Thus also La Cerda : 
" Quin uno excepto Euro, nam 
tr cum hoc nullus est illis amor, 
" alios quoque amant ventos. Cur- 
" runt enini versus Septentrionem, 
" unde flant Boreas et Caurus : 
" currunt versus Austrum, his enim 
" ventis maritantur." This last 
commentator, not content with 
straining Virgil, lays hold on Aris- 
totle in the next place, and compels 
him to sav the verv same. Instead of 

SiOVFt 01 ovri ■srftbs'iu, OVTl So^og 2'J(Tfioig } 
aXXcc. zr£og u^Krov, jj vorov , he would 
fain read Biovrt 21 ov sr^og 'ia 3 uXXoi, zr^bg 
2v<rpag, j) uqktov, « vorov. He might, 
with as little violence, have made 
Aristotle say £sov<r; 21 ov 7r£og 'ia, 
etXXec <7t£o<; 2v<rfAcig, ov -Tt^og cigKrov « 
vorov, which would have exactly 
agreed with the most obvious 
meaning of Virgil's words. Virgil 
says expressly, that they turn to 
the west; "ore omnes versae in 
" Zephyrum ;" which seems the 
most probable, if he spake of the 
marcs of Lisbon j for the nearest 



sea to them is the western ocean, 
and we have heard Aristotle say, 
that they run towards the sea. As 
for the mares which Aristotle men- 
tions, they seem to have been those 
of Crete, and probably fed about 
mount Ida, the most celebrated 
place in thai island. This being 
admitted, we need but consider, 
that as Crete extends in length, 
from east to west, and as Ida is in 
the middle of the island, the run- 
ning directly to the sea, and to the 
north or south, is exactly the same 
thing. 

The Eurus, according to Pliny, 
is the south-east: " Ab oriente 
" aequinoctiali Subsolanus, ab 
" oriente brumali Vulturnus: ilium 
" Apelioten, hunc Eurum Grseci 
" appellant." According to Aulus 
Gellius, Eurus is the east, and the 
same with the Subsolanus and Ape- 
liotes : " Qui ventus igitur ab 
" oriente verno, id est, aequinoctiali 
" venit, nominatur Eurus, ricto 
" vocabulo, ut isti irvftx>Xoyix.oi aiunt, 
f ' dire Tf5 zv fa*, is alio quoque a 
" Graecis nomine dxvXidrng , a Ko- 
" manis naulicis Subsolanus cog- 

" nominatur Hi sunt igitur 

" tres venti crientales, Aquilo, Vul- 
" turnus, Eurus: quorum medius 
u Eurus est." 

278. Boream.~] Boreas is fre- 
quently used to signify the north : 
but strictly speaking, it is the north- 
east. Pliny says the north wind is 
called Septentrio, and by the Greeks 
Aparctias, and that the Aquilo, called 
by the Greeks Boreas is the north- 
east : " A Septentrionibus septem- 
" trio, interque eum et exortum 
" solsutialem Aquilo, Aparctias 



GEORG. LIB. Ilf. 



289 



In Boream, Caurumque, aut unde nigerrimus f^^ uruSt 0T whtnce 
Auster 



<e dicti et Boreas." I believe there 
is an error in the copies of Pliny, 
and that instead of interque eum et 
exortum solstitialem we should read 
juxtaque eum ad exortum solstitialem : 
for the exortus solstitialis is the 
north-east ; and therefore, accord- 
ing to the common reading Boreas 
will be in the north-north-east ; 
whereas Pliny is evidently speaking 
of the compass, as divided only 
into eight points : " Veteres qua- 
" tuor omnino servavere, per toti- 
" dem mundi partes, ideo nee Ho- 
" merus plures nominat, hebeti ut 
<c mox judicatum est ratione : se- 
" cuta setas octo addidit, nimis sub- 
f< tili et concisa: proximis inter 
'• utramque media placnit, ad bre- 
" vera ex numerosa additis quatuor. 
(C Sunt ergo bini in quatuor caeli 
" partibus." Aulus Geliius says 
expressly, that Boreas is the north- 
east : " Qui ab aestiva et solstitial! 
" orientis meta venit, Latine Aqui- 
(c lo, Boreas Grsece dicitur: eum- 
" que propterea quidam dicunt ab 
" Homero xtfynytnTw appellatum. 
<e Boream autem putant dictum 
" Jirl rig 0MJS, quoniam sit violenti 
" flatus et sonori." 

Caurum.~\ Caurus, or Coras, ac- 
cording to Pliny, is the north-west : 
r - Ab occasu gequinoctiali Favonius, 
" ab occasu solstitiali Corus ; Ze- 

"- phyron et Argesten vocant 

" Huic est contrarius Vulturnus . . 
" . . Ventorum frigidissimi sunt 
st quos a Septentrione diximus spi- 
te rare, et vicinus iis Corus." Aulus 
Geliius makes Caurus the south- 
west, for he places it opposite to 
Aquilo : " His oppositi et contrarii 
11 sunt alii tres occidui : Caurus, 
" quern solent Grseci d^yzwv vocare, 
'< is adversus Aquilonem flat." But 



I believe Geliius is mistaken, for 
Virgil, in ver. 356, represents Cau- 
rus as an exceeding cold wind : 

Semper hyems, semper spirantes frigora 
Cauri. 

It will not perhaps be unaccept- 
able to the reader, if in this place I 
shew what names the ancients gave 
to the points of the compass, as 
they are mentioned by Pliny. I 
have already observed that this au- 
thor divided the compass into eight 
parts. These I think were evi- 
dently the north, north-east, east, 
south-east, south, south-west, west, 
and north-west. For in lib. xviii. 
c. 34. where he is speaking of de- 
scribing the parts of heaven in a 
field, he says the meridian line is 
to be cut transversely through the 
middle by another line, which will 
shew the place of the sun's rising 
and setting at the equinox, that is, 
due east and west. Then two other 
lines must be drawn obliquely, from 
each side of the north to each 
side of the south, all through the 
same centre, all of equal length 
and at equal distances : " Diximus 
" ut in media linea designaretur 
" umbilicus. Per hunc medium 
" transversa currat alia. Ha3C erit 
'* ab exortu aequinoctiali ad occa- 
" sum aequinoctialem. Et limes, 
" qui ita secabit agrum, decumanus 
" vocabitur. Ducantur deinde aliae 
" duae linese in decusseis obliquae, 
t( ita ut a septentrionis dextra laeva- 
" que ad austri dextram laevamque 
e< descendant. Omnes per eundem 
" currant umbilicum, omnes inter 
" se pares sint, omnia intervalla 
" paria.'* The next line to the 
north, towards the east, that is in 
the north-east, is called Aquilo, arid 
2 P 



290 



P.*VIRGILII MARONIS 



?thcord d rSn densallthcsky Nascitur, et pluvio contristat frigore caelum, 



arises 
with 



by the Greeks Boreas : " Ita caeli 
" exacta parte, quod fuerit lineae 
'* caput septentrioni proximum a 
" parte exortiva, solstitialem habe- 
" bit exortum, hoc est, longissimi 
" diei, ventumque Aquilonem, Bo- 
" ream a Graecis dictum." The 
point opposite to this, that is, the 
south-west, is named Africus, and 
by the Greeks Libs : " Ex ad verso 
" Aquilonis ab occasu brumali Afri- 
" cus flabit, quern Graeci Liba vo- 
" cant." The wind which blows 
from the east point is called Stib- 
solanus, by the Greeks Apeliotes ; 
opposite to which is the Favonius, 
called Zephyrus by the Greeks : 
" Tertia a septentrione linea, quam 
fi per latitudinem umbrae duximus, 
" et decumanam vocavimus, exor- 
" turn habet aequinoctialem, ven- 
" tumque Subsolanum, Graecis Ape- 

" lioten dictum Favonius ex 

<( adverso ejus ab aequinoctiali oc- 
" casu, Zephyrus a Graecis nomina- 
" tus." Between the east and the 
south rises the Vulturnus, the Greek 
name of which is Eurus ; and op- 
posite to this, between the north 
and west is the Corus, or, as the 
Greeks call it, Argestes : " Quarta 
" a septentrione linea, eadem austro 
" ab exortiva parte proxima, bru- 
" malem habebit exortum, ventum- 
" que Vulturnum, Eurum a Graecis 

" dictum Ex adverso Pultur- 

" ni ftabit Corus, ab occasu solsti- 
" tiali et occidentali latere septen- 
" trionis,a Graecis dictus Argestes." 
In lib. ii. c. 47. he says the south is 
called Auster, by the Greeks Notus, 
the north Septem trio, by the Greeks 
Aparctias : « A meridie Auster et 
<r ab occasu brumali Africus, Noton 

" et Liba nominant A sep- 

" tentrionibus Septem trio, interque 
" eum et [or rather, as was observed 
" before, juxtaque eum ad] exortum 



" solstitialem Aquilo, Aparctias dicti 
" et Boreas." 

278. Nigerrimus Auster.] The 
south wind is called black, because 
of the darkness it occasions, by 
means of the thick showers, which 
it brings with it. Thus in the fifth 
^Eneid : 



•Ruit sethere toto 



Turbidus imber aquis, densisque nigerri- 
mus Austris. 

2"°. Pluvio contristat frigore cce- 
lum.] The south was always ac- 
counted a rainy wind. Thus in the 
first Georgick ; 

Quid cogitet humidus Auster : 



And 



-Jupiter humidus Austris 



Densat erant qua? rara modo. 

And in the third ; 

Vere madent udo terrae ac pluvialibus 
Austris. 

And in the ninth iEneid : 

-Jupiter horridus Austris 



Torquet aquosam h)'emem. 

But I think it seems not quite so 
plain, that it ever was accounted a 
cold wind. I have sometimes in- 
clined to think, that we ought to 
read sidere instead of frigore, with 
the Roman and Cambridge manu- 
scripts : but that will not fully an- 
swer our purpose, for w r e have an- 
other instance of the south wind's 
being called cold by Virgil. It is in 
the fourth Georgick, where he says, 

Frigidus ut quondam sylvis immurmu- 
rat Auster. 

Macrobius endeavours to solve this 
difficulty, by saying the south-wind 
is cold at its origin, and is only ac- 
cidentally warm, by passing through 



XV//./ 



SEPTET 

TBioy: 

APARCTIAS 







GEORG. LIB. III. 



291 



Hinc demum, Hippomanes vero quod nomine Sfr^iS^if 18 * 
dicunt 280 



the torrid zone. But this is a very 
trifling solution. For what signifies 
the coldness of this wind at its ori- 
gin, when it is warm with regard 
to us ? Besides, if I am not much 
mistaken, the ancients had no no- 
tion of its coming from the pole, 
but thought it arose in Africa, which 
was the most southern part of the 
world, that they knew : Libi/a de- 
vexus in Austros, says our poet him- 
self in the first Georgick. And 
Pliny speaks of a rock in the Cy- 
renaic province, which is in Africa, 
that is sacred to the south wind $ 
" Quin et in Cyrenaica provincia, 
" rupes qusedam Austro traditur 
" sacra, quam profanum sit attrec- 
" tari hominis manu, confestim 
*' austro volvente arenas." Ruaeus 
will have frigus in this place to 
stand only for a rainy season, as 
hyems is also used frequently. This 
I believe is only a conjecture of his 
own. The only way I can find to 
extricate us from this difficulty, is 
by observing that the south wind 
was not always accounted warm. 
Columella speaks of its blowing in 
January and February, and bring- 
ing hail : " XVII. Cal. Feb. Sol in 
" Aquarium transit, Leo maneinci- 
" pit occidere, Africus, interdum 

" Auster cum pluvia Cal. Feb. 

" Fidis incipit occidere, ventus euri- 
" nus, et interdum Auster cum gran- 

" dine est Nonas April. Fa- 

" vonius aut Auster, cum grandine." 
Now it appears from the same au- 
thor, that the time, when the mares 
are seized with this fury is about 
the vernal equinox : ¥ Generosis 
" circa vernum cequinoctium mares 

" jungentur Maxime itaque cu- 

" randum est prcedicto tempore anni, 
" ut .... desiderantibus coeundi 



" fiat potestas, quoniam id praecipue 
" armentum si prohibeas, libidinis 
M extimulatur furiis." Virgil there- 
fore speaking of the south-wind 
about the beginning of our March 
calls it cold at that season, with 
great propriety. 

280. Hippomanes vero quod nomine 
dicunt.] Servius speaks of an herb 
mentioned by Hesiod, under the 
name of Hippomanes 3 but I be- 
lieve there is an error in the copy 
of Servius, which I make use of, 
for Fulvius Ursinus represents Ser- 
vius as quoting Theocritus: " Putat 
" Servius intelligendum hoc loco 
" de Hippomane planta, cujus me- 
" minitTheocritus. ,, I do not find 
the mention of any such plant in 
Hesiod, but it is spoken of in the 
Pharmaceutria of Theocritus : 

'Ifftfof&uvis furov let z?u£ 'Agxutri. refit 

Iff) zrutrat 
Ka,f zau\oi ftaivovrai av iagia. xctt Soui 

Hippomanes, a plant Arcadia bears ; 
This makes steeds mad, and this excites 
the mares. 

Creech. 

The Scholiast upon Theocritus, as 
I find him quoted by Fulvius 
Ursinus, tells us that Cratevas de- 
scribed the plant Hippomanes, as 
having the fruit of the wild cu- 
cumer, and the leaves of the prickly 

poppy : Kqcitzvccs (pca-i TO <pyT0J» t%UV 

XOCgTTOV 6)$ G-IKVOV Uy^tOV. ftiXoCVTigOV ^S 

to (pvAAov axnn^ pviKMoq uxecy^a^tg. It 
is plain however, that Virgil does 
not here speak of the plant. Servius 
thinks he adds vero nomine, to in- 
sinuate, that the plant is errone- 
ously called Hippomanes, and that 
it belongs properly to the slime he 
is speaking of. The Poet might 
perhaps allude to the tubercle said 
to be found on the forehead of a 
2 p 2 



29<2 



P. VIRGIL1I MARONIS 



which the shepherds properly 
call Hippomanes. The Hip- 
pomanes is often gathered by 
wicked stepmothers, who mix 
herbs with it, and baleful 
charms. But in the mean 
while, time, irreparable time, 
flies away, whilst we, being 
drawn away by love, pursue 
so many particulars. Enough 
of herbs ; there remains an- 
other part of our care, to ma- 
nage the woolly flocks, and 
the shaggy goats. This is a 
labour : hence, ye strong hus- 
bandmen, hope for praise. 



Pastores, lentum destillat ab inguine virus. 
Hippomanes, quod saepe malse legere novercae, 
Miscueruntque herbas, et non innoxia verba. 
Sed fugit interea fugit irreparabile tempus, 
Singula durn capti circumvectamur amore. 285 
Hoc satis armentis : superat pars altera curae, 
Lanigeros agitare greges, hirtasque capellas : 
Hie labor: hinc laudem fortes sperate coloni. 



young colt, when he is just foaled, 
which is by some called Hippo- 
manes, and was sought for in 
incantations,, as we find in the 
fourth iEneid : 

Quaeritur et inascentis equi cle fronte 
revulsus 

Et matri praereptus amor. 

Pliny says the mare licks this 
tubercle off, as soon as the colt is 
foaled ; otherwise she does not 
love him, nor will she admit him 
to suck her : " Et sane equis amo- 
" ris innasci veneficium, Hippo- 
** manes appellatum, in fronte, 
" caricae magnitudine, colore ni- 
" gro : quod statim edito partu 
" devorat fceta, aut partum ad 
" ubera non admittit, si quis prae- 
" reptum habeat." Aristotle also 
mentions it in the eighth book of 
his History of Animals ; but he 
treats it as an old woman's story : 
Ta 7)1 i7r7Topocns xxhovftivov l^i^virott 
ph, o>Wsg Xzyirai, rolg 7ra>Xot$' at Hi 
t7T7roi TregiteifcovF&i y -M KotB-cugoviroci, 
TTiQiT^ayovriv avro. ra al In tpvSivo pivot 
TttTrharcii ftoLXKcv V7ro rcSy ywxtzcov fco&i 

twv nig tus hrofbu,!. Virgil there- 
fore, who had Aristotle in his eye 
throughout this passage, says that 
this slime is properly called Hip- 
pomanes, in contradistinction to 
that fictitious tubercle, which has 
usurped that name. 

281. Destillat.'] It is generally 
printed distillat: but Pierius says 



it is destillat in the Roman, the 
Medicean, the Lombard, and other 
ancient manuscripts. Heinsius also 
admits destillat. 

283. Miscuerunt.] It is miscuerint 
in one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts, 
and in the Roman manuscript, ac- 
cording to Pierius. This line is 
also in the second Georgick : 

Pocula si quando saevae infecere novercce, 
Miscueruntque Jterbas, et non innoxia 

verba. 

286. The Poet, having now done 
with bulls and horses, proceeds to 
speak of sheep and goats. But 
being aware of the great difficulty 
in making such mean subjects shine 
in poetry, he invokes Pales to his 
assistance. 

288. Hie] Pierius says it is hinc 
in the Medicean, and in most of 
the ancient manuscripts, though 
many of them have hie. The King's, 
both the Arundelian, and both Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts have hinc. The 
Cambridge and the Bodleian copies 
have hie, which reading is admitted 
also by Heinsius, and most of the 
editors. 

Laudem.'] It is laudes in the 
King's and in one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts. 

Sperate.] It is sperare in the old 
edition printed at \ T enice, by Jaco- 
bus Rubeus, in 1475, and in that 
by An to ni us Bartholomew in 1476. 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



293 



Nee sum animi dubius, verbis ea vincere mag- 
num 
Quamsit,etangustishunc addere rebus honorem. 
Sed me Parnassi deserta per ardua dulcis 291 
Raptat amor : juvat irejugis, qua nulla prior um 
Casta] iam molli devertitur orbita clivo. 
Nunc veneranda Pales, magno nunc ore so- 
nandum. 



Nor am I at all ignorant, how 
difficult it is to raise this sub- 
ject with lofty expressions, 
and to add due honour to so 
low an argument. But sweet 
love carries me away through 
the rugged desartsof Parnas- 
sus ; I delight in parsing over 
the hills, where no track of 
the ancients turns with an 
easydescenttoCastalia. Now, 
O adored Pales, now must I 
raise my strain. 



289- Nee sum animi dubius, &c] 
This passage is an evident imitation 
of the following lines of Lucretius : 

Nunc age, quod superest, cognosce, et 

clarius audi. 
Nee me animi fallit quam sint obscura, 

sed acri 
Percussit thyrso laudis spes magna 

meum cor, 
Et simul incussit suavem mi in pectus 

amorem 
Musarum: quo nunc instinctus, mente 

vigenti 
Avia Pieridum peragro loca, nullius ante 
Trita solo : juvat integros accedere fon- 

tes, 
Atque haurire: juvatque novos decer- 

pere flores: 
Insignemque meo capiti petere inde 

coronam, 
Unde prius nulli velarint tempora Musae. 

291. Parnassi deserta per ardua.] 
Parnassus is a great mountain of 
Phocis, sacred to Apollo and the 
Muses. Near it was the city Del- 
phi, famous for the temple and 
oracle of the Pythian Apollo. At 
the foot of this mountain was the 
Castalian spring, sacred to the 
Muses. 

293. Devertitur.'] In many co- 
pies it is devertitur: but Pierius 
says it is diver titur in all the ancient 
manuscripts which he has seen. 

Molli clivo.] Clivus is used both 
for the ascent and descent of a hill. 
Servius understands it in this place 
to signify a descent : " facili itinere 
" et descensioner This interpreta- 
tion seems to agree best with 



Virgil's sense; for he speaks of 
passing over the mountain; and 
therefore he must descend again, 
to come to the Castalian spring. 
Grimoaldus however takes it to 
mean an ascent: " per quae nemo 
t( veterum Poetarum f'aciii ascensu 
" trajicerepotuithactenus." Of the 
same opinion is La Cerda : " Est 
" Castalius fons Musarum, non in 
" ipso vertice Parnassi. sed ad ima, 
" icleo tantum per mollem quendam 
" clivum ascensus est ad ilium." 
Dr. Trapp follows this interpre- 
tation : 

By soft ascent 

Inclining to the pure Castalian stream. 

We find an expression like this in 
the ninth Eclogue : 



Qua se subducere colles 



Incipiunt, moUique jugum demiftere clivo, 
Usque ad aquam, et veteris jam fracta 
cacumina fagi. 

Here molli clivo plainly signifies an 
easy descent; and thus it is under- 
stood by La Cerda himself : ' ' A 
" clivo quopiam molli leniterque 
<{ subducto usque ad aquam Mincii 
" fluminis, et fagum, cui prae senio 
'.' fracta cacumina/' Thus also Dr. 
Trapp translates this passage : 

Where the hills begin 

To lessen by an easy soft descent, 
Down to the water, and the stunted 
beech. 

294. Pales.] See the note on 
ver. 1. 



294 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



It^tiSggSSS* Incipiens stabulis edico in mollibus herbam 295 
summer SSSiJflnfthafthe Carpere oves, dum mox frondosa reducitur 

hard ground should be strew- 
ed with a good quantity SestaS '. 

Et multa duram stipula filicumque maniplis 297 



Sonandum.] It is canendum in 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 

295. Incipiens, &c] In this pas- 
sage the Poet treats of the care of 
sheep and goats, during the winter 
season. 

Stabulis in mollibus.] Servius in- 
terprets mollibus warm: " clemen- 
" tioribus et aeris temperati ; vel 
" propter plagam australem, vel 
" propter suppositas herbas anima- 
" libus.'' In this he is followed by 
Dr. Trapp : 

First, I ordain, that in warm huts the 

sheep 
Be fodder'd. 

I rather choose, with La Cerda, to 
give mollibus its usual sense soft, 
because he immediately tells us 
that the hard ground should be 
littered with straw and brakes. 
Thus also May translates it : 



■ But first I counsell to contaiue 

Your sheep within soft stals to feed at 
home. 



Besides, Columella expressly says, 
that this litter is used, that the 
sheep may lie soft: " Deturque 
" opera, nequis humor subsistat, 
" ut semper quam aridissimis fili- 
" cibus, vel culmis stabula con- 
" strata sint, quo purius et mollius 
i( incubent fcetse." It is not very 
usual with us, to house our sheep, 
notwithstanding our climate is less 
mild than that of Italy. But Mr. 
Mortimer observes, that " in Glou- 
" cestershire they house their sheep 
" every night, and litter them 
(t with clean straw, which affords a 
" great advantage to their land by 



<e the manure, and they say makes 
" their wool very fine." 

Herbam carpereJ] Cato says the 
sheep should be foddered with the 
leaves of poplars, elms, and oaks : 
" Frondem populneam, ulmearn, 
" querneam caedito, per tempus 
" earn condito, non peraridam, 
" pabulum ovibus/' Varro men- 
tions fig-leaves, chaff, grape-stones, 
and bran: " His quaecunque ju- 
" bentur, vescuntur, ut folia ficul- 
" nea, etpalea, etvinacea: furfures 
" objiciuntur modice, ne parum, 
" aut nimium saturentur." Co- 
lumella speaks also of elm and 
ash leaves : " Aluntur autem com- 
*' modissimerepositisulmeis,vel ex 
" fraxino frondibus." 

296. Dum mox frondosa reducitur 
astas.] The meaning of this is, 
that the sheep are to be housed, till 
the warm weather has produced a 
sufficient quantity of fresh food for 
them in the open fields. We can- 
not suppose that summer is to be 
taken here in a strict sense; for 
that season began on the ninth of 
May : and surely they never housed 
their sheep till that time. 

297- Duram humum.] He calls 
the ground hard, because it was 
usual to pave their sheep-cotes 
with stone : " Horum prapsepia 
" ac stabula, ut sint pura, majorem 
" adhibeant diligentiam quam hir- 
" tis. Itaque faciunt lapide strata, 
" ut urina necubi in stabulo con- 
" sistat." 

Stipula filicumque maniplis.] For 
filix see ver. I89. of the second 
book. 

The writers of agriculture are 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



£95 



Sternere subter humum, glacies ne frigida laedat 11^*1^?%$^*^ 

i»«- ii i • c l J not hurt the tender cattle, 

Molle pecus, scabiemque terat, turpesque pocta- and bring the scab and foui 

gouts. 

gras. 



particularly careful, to give instruc- 
tions about keeping the sheep clean 
and dry in their cotes. Thus Cato: 
" Pecori et bubus diligenter sub- 
" sternatur, ungulae curentur .... 
" Stramenta si deerunt, frondem 
" iligneam legito, earn substernito 
" ovibus bubusque." Varro says 
the pavement should be laid slop- 
ing, that it may easily be swept 
clean ; because wet spoils the wool 
and disorders the sheep. He adds 
that fresh litter should be often 
given them, that they may lie soft 
and clean : " Ubi stent, solum 
" oportet esse eruderatum, et pro- 
" clivum, ut everri facile possit, ac 
le fieri purum : non enim solum ea 
" uligo lanam corrumpitovium, sed 
" etiam ungulas, ac scabras fieri 
" cogit. Cum aliquot dies stete- 
" runt, subjicere oportet virgulta 
" alia, quo mollius requiescant, 
ic purioresque sint : libentius enim 
" ita pascuntur." 

298. Glacies ne frigida Icedat molle 
pecus."] Columella says that sheep, 
though they are the best clothed 
of all animals, are nevertheless the 
most impatient both of cold and 
heat : " Id pecus, quamvis ex om- 
<f nibus animalibus vestitissimum, 
" frigoris tamen impatientissimum 
ee est, nee minus aestivi vaporis." 

299. Scabiem.~] See ver. 441. 

Turpesque podagras.] I have ven- 
tured to translate podagra the gout, 
though I have not been informed 
that our sheep are ever subject to 
such a distemper. The Poet cer- 
tainly means some kind of tumour 
in the feet : and probably it is the 
same distemper with that, which 
Columella has described under the 



name of clavi. He says they are 
of two sorts : one is, when there is 
a filth and galling in the parting of 
the hoof; the other, when there is 
a tubercle in the same place, with a 
hair in the middle, and a worm 
under it. The former is cured by 
tar ; or by alum and sulphur mixed 
with vinegar ; or by a young pome- 
granate, before the seeds are formed, 
pounded with alum, and then co- 
vered with vinegar; or by verde- 
gris crumbled upon it ; or by burnt 
galls levigated with austere wine, 
and laid upon the part. The tu- 
bercle, which has the worm at the 
bottom, must be cut carefully round, 
that the animalcule be not wounded, 
for if that should happen, h> sends 
forth a venomous sanies, which 
makes the wound incurable, so that 
the whole foot must be taken off: 
and when you have carefully cut 
out the tubercle, you must drop 
melted suet into the place : ' ' Clavi 
" quoque dupliciter infestant ovem, 
" sive cum subluvies atque inter- 
" trigo in ipso discrimine ungulae 
" nascitur, seu cum idem locus tu- 
" berculum habet, cujus media fere 
" parte canino similis extat pilus, 
" eique subest vermiculus. Sub- 
" luvies, et intertrigo pice per se 
" liquida, vel alumine et sulfure, 
" atque aceto mistis rite eruentur, 
" vel tenero punico malo, prius 
" quam grana faciat, cum alumine 
" pinsito, superfusaque aceto, vel 
<c aeris aerugine infriata, vel com- 
(< busta galla cum austero vino le- 
" vigata, et superposita : tubercu- 
ic lum, cui subest vermiculus, ferro 
<e quam acutissime circumsecari 
" oportet, ne, dum amputatur etiam, 



£96 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



Then leaving the sheep, I 
order the leafy arbutes to suf- 
fice the goats : and that they 
should have fresh water, and 
that the cotes should be turn- 
ed from the winds opposite 
to the wincer sun, being ex- 
posed to the south; when 
cold Aquarius now sets, and 
pours forth his water at the 
end of the year. Nor are 
these to be tended by us with 
less care, nor are they less 
useful ; though the Milesian 



Post hinc digressus jubeo frondentia capris 300 
Arbuta sufficere, et fluvios preebere recentes; 
Et stabula a ventis hyberno opponere soli 
Ad medium conversa diem ; cum frigidus olim 
Jam cadit, extremoque irrorat Aquarius anno. 
Has quoque non cura nobis leviore tuendae, 305 
Nee minor usus erit : quamvis Milesia magno 



({ quod infra est, animal vulnere- 
<c mus : id enim cum sauciatur, ve- 
«« nenatam saniem mittit, qua re- 
* c spersum vulnus ita insanabile fa- 
ec eit, ut totus pes amputandus sit : 
(C et cum tuberculum diligenter cir- 
" cumcideris, candens sevum vul- 
" neri per ardentem taedam instil- 
e< lato." Perhaps Virgil means the 
first sort, and therefore gives this 
disease the epithet turpis. 

300. Frondentia arbuta.] In the 
first book, Virgil uses arbuium for 
the fruit, and in the second, arbutus 
for the tree: but here arbutum is 
used for the tree. The epithet 
frondentia is a plain proof, that in 
this place he means the tree, which 
is an ever-green, and therefore sup- 
plies the goats with browze in win- 
ter, of which season Virgil is now 
speaking. Columella mentions the 
arbutus among those shrubs which 
are coveted by goats : " Id autem 
" genus dumeta potius, quam cam- 
" pestre situm desiderat : asperisque 
" etiam locis, ac sylvestribus optime 
" pascitur. Nam nee rubos aver- 
et satur, nee vepribus offenditur, et 
" arbusculis,. frutetisque maxime 
" gaudet. Ep sunt arbutus, atque 
" alatrrnus, cytlsusque agrestis. 
rt Nee' minus llignei, querneique 
ft frutices, qui in altitudinem non 
ci prosiliunt." 
' 303. Cum frigidus olim jam cadit, 
&c.] In one of the Arundelian 
manuscripts it is dum instead of 



In this place, as Ruaeus well ob- 
serves, Virgil must mean that year 
which began with March, for Aqua- 
rius was reckoned to rise about the 
middle of January, and to set about 
the middle of February. Aquarius 
is represented pouring water out of 
an um, and was esteemed a rainy 
sign. 

305. Hce .... tuendcB."] Servius 

reads hcec tuenda, and says the 

Poet uses the neuter gender figura- 
tively. In this he is followed by 
several of the oldest editors. But 
Heinsius, and almost all the late 
editors read has .... tuenda?, which 
reading I find also in all the manu- 
scripts, which I have collated. In 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts, it 
is nee instead of hce. 

306. Nee minor usus erit.] Goats 
are of no less value than sheep : for 
they are very fruitful, and yield 
abundance of milk, which is very 
little, if at all inferior to that of the 
ass, in nourishing weak, and re- 
storing wasting bodies. They are 
kept with very little expence, for 
they will feed on briars, and almost 
any wild shrubs. The kids are 
very good meat: they climb the 
steepest rocks and precipices: 
though their feet do not at all seem 
to be made for that purpose. 

. Quamvis Milesia r magno vellera 
mutentur.] Miletus was a city on 
the borders of Ionia and Caria, fa- 
mous for the best wool, of which the 
Milesian garments were made, which 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



297 



Vellera mutentur, Tyrios incocta rubores. 
Densior hinc soboles; hinc largi copia lactis. 
Quam magis exhausto spumaverit ubere mulc- 
tra ; 309 

Laeta magis pressis manabunt flumina mammis. 
Nee minus interea barbas incanaque menta, 



fleeces being stained with 
Tyrian dye sell for a large 
price. These are more fruit- 
ful, these afford a greater 
plenty of milk. The more the 
pail froths with their exhaust- 
ed udders, the larger streams 
will flow from their pressed 
dugs. Besides, the beards and 
hoary chins, 



were greatly esteemed by the ladies, 
for their delicate softness. 

In magna mutentur the Poet 
alludes to the ancient custom of 
changing one commodity for an- 
other, before the general use of 
money. 

307. Tyrios incocta rubores.] See 
the note on Tyrio conspectus in 
ostro, ver. 17. 

308. Densior hinc soboles.] Co- 
lumella says a goat, if she is of a 
good sort, frequently brings forth 
two, and sometimes three kids at a 
time: " Parit autem si est generosa 
" proles, frequenter duos, nonnun- 
" quam trigeminos." 

309. Quam magis."] Pierius says 
it is quo magis in the Roman, and 
other ancient manuscripts. 

310. Flumina.~\ So I read, with 
Heinsius, and Ruaeus. Pierius says 
it is ubera, in the Roman, the Lom- 
bard, and other very ancient manu- 
scripts. He seems to think ubera 
the true reading; and that the 
transcribers, observing ubere in the 
preceding line, were afraid of re- 
peating ubera in this; and therefore 
substituted flumina. La Cerda also 
thinks, that those who redid, flumina, 
deprive this passage of a great ele- 
gance. I find ubera in the King's, 
the Bodleian, both the Arundelian, 
and both Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 
In the Cambridge manuscript, and 
in most of the latter editions, it is 

flumina, which appears to be no 
inelegant reading. Pierius also al- 
lows that flumina is a metaphorical 
hyperbole, very proper in this 



place, to express an extraordinary 
abundance of milk. 

311. Barbas incanaque menta Ci- 
nyphii iondent hirci.] Cinyphus, ac- 
cording to Strabo, is a river of 
Africa. According to Pliny, Cynips 
is the name both of a river and a 
country : ° Augylae ipsi medio fere 
? spatio locantur ab ^Ethiopia, quae 
' c ad occidentem vergit, et a regione 
" quae duas Syrtes interjacet, pari 
" utrinque intervallo, sed littore 
" inter duas Syrtes, ccl. M. pass. 
" Ibi civitas CEensis, Cynips fluvius 
V ac regio." This country seems 
to be that which is now called 
Tripoly, (Ea being one of the three 
cities, which were joined to make 
the city Tripolis. This country 
was famous for goats with the 
longest hair ; whence these animals 
are often called Cinyphian. Thus 
Martial : 

Cujus livida naribus caninis 
Dependet glacies, rigetque barba, 
Qualem forficibus metit supinis 
Tonsor CinypMo Cylix marito : 

And 

Non hos lana dedit, sed olentis barba 
mariti : 
CinypMo poterit planta latere sinu. 

Some grammarians take Cyniphii 
hirci to be the nominative case, and 
tondent to be put for tondentur. 
But the general opinion is, that 
Cinyphii hirci is the genitive case ; 
and that pastores understood is the 
nominative case before the active 
verb iondent. Perhaps Cinyphii is 
the nominative case to tondent : and 
2 o 



298 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and shaggy hairs of the Ciny- 
phian goats are shorn, for the 
use of the camps, and for 
coverings to miserable mari- 
ners. But they feed in the 
woods, and on the summits of 
Lycseus, and browse on the 
prickly brambles, and the 
bushes that love high places. 
And the she-goats remember 
to return to their cotesof their 
own accord, and carry their 
kids with them, and can 
scarce step over the threshold 
with their swelling udders. 
Therefore, as they take less 
care to provide against want, 
you must be the more careful 
to defend them from ice and 
snowy winds; and joyfully 
supply them with food, and 
twiggy pasture : nor must you 
shut up your stores of hay 
during the whole winter. 
But when the warm weather 
rejoices with inviting Ze- 
phyrs, 



Cinyphii tondent hirci, setasque comantes, 
Usum in castrorum, et miseris velamina nautis. 
Pascuntur vero sylvas et summa Lycaei, 314? 
Horrentesque rubos, et am antes ardua dumos. 
Atque ipsa? memores redeunt in tecta, suosque 
Ducunt, et gravido superant vix ubere limen. 
Ergo omni studio glaciem ventosque nivales, 
Quo minor est illis curae mortalis egestas, 
Avertes; victumque feres, et virgealaetus 320 
Pabula; nee tota claudes fcenilia bruma. 
At vero, zephyris cum laeta vocantibus aestas, 



then this passage should be thus 
translated : " the Cinyphians shave 
" the beards and hoary chins of the 
goat." This sense is admitted by 
Grimoaldus : " Libyci pastores ab- 
" radunt hirquinas barbas, &c." 
Cinyphius is used for the people 
by Martial : 

Stat caper JEolio Thebani vellere Phryxi 
Cultus : ab hoc mallet vecta fuisse soror. 

Hunc nee Cinyphius tonsor violaverit, 
et tu 
Ipse tua pasci vite, Lyoee, velis. 

Pierius says it is kircis in the Ro- 
man, and in some other ancient 
manuscripts. 

313. Usum in castrorum, et miseris 
velamina nautis.] Varro says that 
goats are shorn for the use of 
sailors, and engines of war : " Ut 
" fructum ovis e lana ad vestimen- 
' ' turn : sic capra pilos ministrat ad 
" usum nauticum, et ad bellica tor- 
" menta, et fabrilia vasa." 

314. Lycasi.] Ly casus is a moun- 
tain of Arcadia. It seems to be put 
here for mountains in general. 

315. Horrentesque rubos.] Rubus 
is the bramble or blackberry bush; 
for Pliny says they bear a fruit like 
mulberries: " Rubi mora ferunt." 

31 6. Suosque ducunt.] Servius 
interprets suos their young; in 



which he is followed by most of 
the commentators and translators. 
But La Cerda thinks it means their 
pastors. 

319- Minor.] Servius reads minor. 
It is minor also in the Cambridge, 
the Bodleian, both the Arundelian, 
and in one of Dr. Meads manu- 
scripts. In the other manuscript 
of Dr. Mead it is minus, which is 
admitted by Heinsius, and most of 
the editors. But the frequent re- 
petition of s in this line induces me 
to believe, that Virgil rather wrote 
minor, to avoid a disagreeable sibi- 
lation. In the old Nurenberg edi- 
tion it is minor. In the King's 
manuscript it is major, which can- 
not be right. 

The sense of this passage seems 
to be, that as goats give us so little 
trouble, browsing upon any wild 
bushes, which sheep will not touch ; 
as they wander over the rocks and 
precipices, where other cattle can- 
not tread; as they come home of 
their own accord, without requiring 
the care of a shepherd ; we ought 
in justice to take care of them, 
and allow them a sufficient quan- 
tity of food in winter. 

322. At vero, &c] In this pas- 
sage we are informed how sheep 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



2V9 



In saltus utrumque gregem atque in pascua 

mittes. 
Luciferi primo cum sidere frigida rura 
Carpamusj dum mane novum, dum gramina 

canent, 525 

Et ros in tenera pecori gratissimus herba. 
Inde, ubi quarta sitim c<eli collegerit hora, 



you shall send both your 
flocks into lawns and into 
pastures. Let us take the 
cool fields at the first rising 
of Lucifer, whilst the morn- 
ing is new, whilst the grass 
is hoary, and the dew upon 
the tender herbs hmost grate- 
ful to the cattle. And then 
when the fourth hour of hea- 
ven shall have brought on 
thirst, 



and goats are to be managed, when 
the weather begins to grow warm. 

Zephyris cum Iceta vocantibus 
cestas.~] The west wind, called by 
the Romans Favonius, and by the 
Greeks Zephyrus, was thought to 
introduce the spring. Thus Pliny : 
<c Tertia a septentrione linea, quam 
<{ per latitudinem umbrae duximus, 
<c et decumanam vocavimus, exor- 
" turn habet aequinoctialem, ven- 
cc tumque Subsolanum, Graecis Ape- 
se lioten dictum. In hunc salubri- 
{i bus locis villa? vineaque spectent. 
te Ipse leniter pluvius, tamen est 
" siccior Favonius, ex ad verso ejus 
" ab aequinoctiali occasu, Zephyrus 
" a Gr<ecis nominatus. In hunc 
" spectare oliveta Cato jussit. Hie 
" ver inchoat, aperitque terras tenui 
" frigore saluber. Hie vites pu- 
" tandi, frugesque curandi, arbores 
" serendi, poma inserendi, oleas 
" tractandi jus dabit afflatuque nu- 
" tricium exercebit." 

I have translated cestas warm 
weather in this place. He means 
by this word, from the beginning 
of the spring, to the autumnal equi- 
nox. See the note on ver. 296. 

323. Mittes.~] Fulvius Ursinus 
says it is mittet in some ancient 
manuscripts, which he takes to be 
the true reading. 

324. Luciferi.'] The planet Ve- 
nus, when she appears in the even- 
ing, is called Vesper or Hesperus ; 
in the morning she is called Luci- 



fer. Columella approves of the 
time of feeding and watering, men- 
tioned by the Poet: " Dl tempori- 
" bus autem pascendi, et au aquam 
" ducendi per aestatem non aliter 
" sentio, quam ut prodidit Maro : 
" Luciferi primo, &c." 

325. Dum mane novum, &c] 
Here the Poet follows Varro: 

" ^Estate prima luce exeunt 

" pastum, propterea quod tunc 
" herba roscida meridianam, qua? 
" est aridior, jucunditate prasstat." 

326. Herba.] Most of the editors 
have est after herba : I find it also 
in both Dr. Meads manuscripts. 
It is wanting however in the King's, 
the Cambridge, the Bodleian, and 
both the Arundelian manuscripts. 
Heinsius also and Masvicius leave 
out est. 

This verse is also in the eighth 
Eclogue. 

327. Ubi quarta sitim cceli colle- 
gerit hora.] The L'oet is thought to 
mean such hours, as divide the ar- 
tificial day into twelve equal parts. 
Thus, at the equinox, the fourth 
hour will be at ten in the morning : 
but at the solstice, it will be at half 
an hour after nine in Italy, where 
the day is then fifteen hours long, 
according to Pliny : " Sic fit, ut 
" vario lucis incremento in Meroe 
" longissimus dies xii horas aequi- 
" noctiales, et octo partes unius 
" horse colligat, Alexandria? vero 
" xiv horas. In Italia quindecim. 

2 S 2 



soo 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



^iM^tSSth^ Et cantu q uerulffi nimpent arbusta cicadae; 
to" drink C tS n running w°a°ter Ad puteos, aut alta greges ad stagnajubeto 

in oaken troughs.at the wells, , , , 

or at the deep pools; but in Currentem ilignis potare canahbus undam ; 330 

the heat of noon let them ° r 

seek the shady valley, iEstibus at mediis umbrosam exquirere vallem, 



" In Britannia xvii." In England, 
according to this interpretation, the 
fourth hour will be about nine. 

Grimoaldus seems to understand 
the Poet to mean by the words now 
under consideration, when the fourth 
hour has gathered the drought of the 
air : " cum hora post exortum so- 
" lem quarta siccitatem aeris con- 
f ' traxerit, roremque calore absump- 
" serit." In this sense May trans- 
lates it : 



That dew away 



Tane by the fourth houres thirsty sun. 

But I rather believe, with La Cerda, 
that Virgil's meaning is, when the 
fourth hour of the day has made the 
cattle thirsty. Ovid uses sitim colli- 
gere not for gathering up the dew, 
but for growing thirsty : 

Jamque Chimaeriferae, cum sol gravis 

ureret arva, » 

Finibus in Lyciae longo dea fessa Iabore, 
Sidereo siccata sitim collegit ab aestu. 

Dr. Trapp's translation is according 
to this sense : 

But when advancing day, 

At the fourth hour, gives thirst to men 
and beasts. 

Dryden comprehends both inter- 
pretations : 

But when the day's fourth hour has 

drawn the dews, 
And the sun's sultry heat their thirst 

renews. 

328. Et cantu queruloz rumpetit 
arbusta cicada?.] This line is an 
imitation of Hesiod, if Hesiod is the 
author of the 'AmU 'HgocxXiovs : 

r Hfios Se %\osgZ xvuvoVrtgo; ^e't« rsrn^ 
"Azxircti. 



It has been usual to render cicada 
grasshopper, but very erroneously : 
for the cicada is an insect of a very 
different sort. It has a rounder and 
shorter body, is of a dark green co- 
lour, sits upon trees, and makes a 
noise five times louder than a grass- 
hopper. They begin their song as 
soon as the sun grows hot, and con- 
tinue singing till it sets. Their 
wings are beautiful, being streaked 
with silver, and marked with brown 
spots. The outer wings are twice 
as long as the inner, and more va- 
riegated. They are very numerous 
in the hot countries, but have not 
been found on this side the Alps 
and Cevennes. The proper Latin 
name for a grasshopper is locusta. 

Tithonus the son of Laomedon, 
king of Troy, was beloved by Au- 
rora, and obtained of her an ex- 
ceeding long life. When he had 
lived many years, he at length 
dwindled into a cicada: thus Ho- 
race : 

Longa Tithonum minuit senectus. 

The Poet is thought to allude to 
this fable, when he uses the epithet 
querulw. 

330. Ilignis canalibus.]. Ilex is 
the ever-green or holm oak. Pie- 
rius says it is lignis for ligneis in 
the Roman manuscript: I find in 
lignis in the King's manuscript. 

331. Mstibus at mediis umbrosam 
exquirere vallem.'] " In the Lombard 
" manuscript it is cestibus aut mediis: 
" in some other ancient copies ac 
" mediis: in the Lombard acquirere, 
" which I do not like. But I am 
" not displeased with at instead of 
l( out ; for thus there are four pre- 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



301 



Sicubi magna Jovis antiquo robore quercus 
Ingentes tendat ramos : aut sicubi nigrum 
Ilicibus crebris sacra nemus accubet umbra. 
Turn tenues dare rursus aquas, et pascere 

rursus 335 

Solis ad occasum : cum frigidus aera vesper 
Temperat, et saltus reficit jam roscida luna, 
Litoraque Alcyonen resonant, acalanthida 

dumi. 



where some large old oak of 
Jupiter extends its spreading 
boughs, or where some dusky 
grove of thick holm-oaks let* 
fall fts sacred shade. Then 
let them have clear water 
again, and be fed again at the 
setting of the sun ; when 
cool Vesper tempers the air, 
and the dewy moon now re- 
freshes the lawns, and the 
shores resound with halcyons, 
and the bushes with gold- 
finches. 



" cepts to be observed every day ; 
" to feed them in the morning, to 
" give them drink at the fourth 
(i hour, to shade them at noon, and 
" to feed them again in the even- 
" ing." Pierius. 

I find ac in some old editions: 
it is aut in the King's manuscript, 
et in one of Dr. Mead's, and ut in 
the old Venice edition of 1482. 
But at is generally received. 

This precept of shading the sheep 
at noon is taken from Varro : t( Cir- 
" citer meridianos aestus, dum de- 
" fervescant, sub umbriferas rupes, 
<{ et arbores patulas subjiciunt, 
" quoad refrigerato aere vespertino, 
te rursus pascant ad solis occasum." 
We find an allusion to this custom, 
in the Canticles : « Tell me, O thou 
" whom my soul loveth, where thou 
(l feedest, where thou makest thy 
" flock to rest at noon." 

338. Litoraque Alcyonem reso- 
nant.] See the note on dilectce The- 
tidi Alcyones, book i. ver. 399. 

Acalanthida dumi.] Most editors 
agree in reading et Acanthida dumi: 
but Pierius affirms, that it is acalan- 
thida in all the manuscripts, which 
is admitted by Heinsius and Mas- 
vicius. In the King's, and in one 
of Dr. Mead's manuscripts, it is 
alklanthida; in both the Arunde- 
lian copies, it is athalantida ; in the 
old Nurenberg edition it is achan- 



tida. Acalanthis is seldom to be met 
with in authors: Suidas mentions 
it as the name of a bird : 'AxcthccvSk, 
ildog o^viov. It is thought to be the 
same with dxa&ts, which seems to 
be derived from uxen&ct, a prickle, 
because it lives amongst thorns, 
and eats the seeds of thistles. 
Hence in Latin it is called carduelis, 
from carduus, a thistle, in Italian 
cardello or cardellino, and is by us 
a thistle-finch, and, from a beautiful 
yellow stripe across its wing, a gold- 
finch. Some take it to be a night- 
ingale, others a linnet. May trans- 
lates it a linnet : 

Kings-fishers play on shore, 

And thistles' tops are fill'd with linnets' 
store. 

And Dryden : 

When linnets fill the woods with tuneful 
sound, 

And hollow shores the halcyon's voice re- 
bound. 

La Cerda thinks it is what they call 
in Spanish silguero, and Ruaeus says 
it is the chardoneret, both which 
names belong to the bird, which 
we call a goldfinch. Thus also 
Dr. Trapp translates it : 

The shores halcyone resound 



And the sweet goldfinch warbles thro ' 
the brakes. 

As the Poet describes the evening 



302 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



Sa r toSi d y^ y of'S?JSS= Quid tibi P astores Lib y ffi > q uid P ascua versa 

herds of Libya, 



by the singing of this bird, it is not 
improbable, that he might mean the 
nightingale : but as I do not find 
any sufficient authority to translate 
acalantkis a nightingale, I have ad- 
hered to the common opinion, in 
rendering it a goldfinch. 

339. Quid tibi pastores, &c] 
Having just mentioned the care of 
keeping sheep and goats within 
doors, he takes occasion to digress 
poetically into an account of the 
African shepherds, who wander 
with their flocks over the vast de- 
sarts, without any settled habita- 
tion. 

Libya was used by the ancients, 
to express not only a part of Africa, 
adjoining to Egypt, but also all that 
division of the world, which is 
usually called Africa. It is gene- 
rally thought, that the Poet in this 
place, means the Numidians, or 
Nomades, so called from vopi) pas- 
ture, who used to change their ha- 
bitations, carrying their tents along 
with them, according to Pliny: 
<c Numidae vero Nomades, a per- 
<e mutandis pabulis : mapalia sua, 
" hoc est domus, plaustris circum- 
" ferentes." Sallust also gives an 
account of the origin of these Nu- 
midians, and describes their mapa- 
lia or tents. He tells us that, ac- 
cording to the opinion of the Afri- 
cans, Hercules died in Spain, upon 
which his army, that was composed 
of divers nations, dispersed and 
settled colonies in several places. 
The Medes, Persians, and Arme- 
nians, passed over into Africa, and 
possessed those parts, which were 
nearest the Tyrrhene sea. The 
Persians settling more within the 
ocean, and finding no timber in 
their own country, and having no 
opportunity of trading with Spain, 
on account of the largeness of the 



sea between them, and of their not 
understanding each others lan- 
guage, had no other way of making 
houses than by turning the keels of 
their vessels upwards, and living 
under the shelter of them. They 
intermarried with the Gcetuli, and 
because they often changed their 
seats, according to the difference of 
pasture, they called themselves Nu- 
midians. He adds that even in his 
time the wandering Numidians 
made their houses or tents with 
long bending roofs, like hulks of 
ships, which they call mapalia. 
" Sed postquam in Hispania Her- 
" cules, sicut Afri putant, interiit: 
" exercitus ejus compositus ex gen- 
" tibus variis, amisso duce, ac pas- 
" sim multis sibi quisque imperium 
" petentibus, brevi dilabitur. Ex 
" eo numero Medi, Persag, et Ar- 
" menii, navibus in Africam trans- 
" vecti, proximos nostro mari locos 
" occupavere. Sed Persae intra 
" Oceanum magis : hique alveos 
" navium inverses pro tuguriis ha- 
" buere : quia neque materia in 
" agris, neque ab Hispanis emundi, 
" aut mutandi copia erat. Mare 
{c magnum, et ignara lingua com- 
" mercia prohibebant. Hi paulatim 
" per connubia Gsetulos secum mis- 
" cuere, et quia saepe tentantes agros, 
" aha, deinde alia loca petiverant, 
" semetipsi, Numidas appellavere. 
" Caeterum adhuc aedificia Numi- 
" darum agrestium, quae mapalia 
" illi vocant, oblonga, incurvis la- 
" teribus tecta, quasi navium cari- 
" nae sunt." The Numidians there- 
fore being famous for feeding cattle, 
and having no settled habitation, 
the Poet is supposed to use Libya 
or Africa for Numidia. But perhaps 
he might allude to the ancient in- 
habitants of Africa ; who were the 
Gaztuli and the Libyes, and lived 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



303 



Prosequar, et raris habitata mapalia tectis ? 340 
Saepe diem noctemque, et totum ex ordine 

mensem 
Pascitur, itque pecus longa in deserta sine ullis 
Hospitiis : tantum campi jacet : omnia secum 
Armentarius Afer agit, tectumque, Laremque, 



and their thinly inhabited 
cottages i Their fl ock s often 
graze both day and night, 
for a whole month together, 
and go through long desarts, 
without any fixed abode s so 
far do the plains extend: the 
African shepherd carries his 
all with him, his house, his 
gods, 



upon cattle, being governed by no 
law, but wandering up and down, 
and pitching their tents where 
night overtook them. We learn 
this from the Carthaginian books, 
ascribed to king Hiempsal, as they 
are quoted by Sallust : e ' Sed qui 
" mortales initio Africam habuerint, 
" quique postea accesserint, aut quo 
" modo inter se permixti sint ; quan- 
tC quam ab ea fama, quae plerosque 
u obtinet, diversum est ; tamen uti 
" ex libris Punicis, qui regis Hiemp- 
" salis dicebantur, interpretatum 
' e nobis est ; utique rem sese habere 
" cultores ejus terrae putant; quam 
" paucissimis dicam : caeterum fides 
" ejus rei penes autores erit. Afri- 
" cam initium habuere Ga?tuli, et 
" Libyes, asperi incultique ; queis 
" cibus erat caro ferina at que humi 
" pabulum, uti pecoribus. Hi ne- 
te que moribus, neque lege, aut im- 
" perio cujusquam regebantur : va- 
" gi, palantes, quas nox coegerat 
" sedes habebant." The nations, 
which in the most ancient times 
dwelled on the east of Egypt, seem 
to have been shepherds, as we may 
gather from many passages in the 
history of Abraham and his de- 
scendants. The religion and cus- 
toms of these people were very op- 
posite to those of the Egyptians, 
who were often invaded by them. 
Hence we find in the history of 
Joseph, that every shepherd was an 
abomination to the Egyptians. When 
the children of Israel departed out 
of Egypt, the inheritance which 
God gave them, was in the country 



inhabited by these shepherds : who 
being expelled by Joshua, invaded 
the lower Egypt, easily conquered 
it, and erected a kingdom, which 
was governed by a succession of 
kings of the race of these shepherds. 
They were afterwards expelled by 
the kings of the upper Egypt, and 
fled into Phoenicia, Arabia, Lybia, 
and other places, in the days of 
Eli, Samuel, Saul, and David, 
This seems to be the most ancient 
account of the inhabitants of Libya; 
whom therefore we find to have 
been originally shepherds. 

I am not ignorant that this sys- 
tem is contrary to the opinion of 
some chronologers, who make the 
invasion of Egypt by the shepherds 
much more ancient, and suppose 
that king of Egypt, with whom 
Abraham conversed, to have been 
of that race. But, as Sir Isaac 
Newton observes, it is plain that 
Egypt was not under the govern- 
ment of the shepherds in the time 
of Joseph, but were either driven 
out before that time, or did not 
invade Egypt till after the depar- 
ture of the children of Israel : 
which latter opinion seems most 
probable, as the best authorities 
place the time of their expulsion a 
little before the building of the 
temple of Solomon. 

343. Campir\ In one of the 
Arundelian, and in one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts, it is campis. 

344. Laremque.'] It is laboremque 
in the Roman manuscript, accord- 
ing to Pierius. But laremque is 



304 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



his arms, his Amyclean dog, 
and his Cretan quiver. Just 
as when the fierce Roman 
under arms takes his way un- 
der a heavy load, and pitches 
his camp against an enemy 
before he is expected. But 
quite otherwise, where are 
the Scythian nations, and the 
water of Maeotis, and where 
the turbid Ister rolls the yel- 
low sands; and where Rho- 
dope returns, being extended 
under the middle of the pole. 



Armaque, Amydaeumque canem, Cressamque 
pharetram. 345 

Non secus ac patriis acer Romanus in armis 
Injusto sub fasce viam cum carpit, et bosti 
Ante expeclatum positis stat in agmine castris. 
At non, qua Scythiae gentes, Meeotiaque unda, 
Turbidus et torquens flaventes Ister arenas : 350 
Quaque redit medium Rhodope porrecta sub 



axem, 



certainly the right reading: for it 
was customary with these shepherds 
to carry their gods about with 
them. Thus we find in the book 
of Genesis, that Rachel had stolen 
her father's gods, and carried them 
with her in her flight. 

34>5. Amyclceumque canem.] Amy- 
clae was a city of Laconia, which 
region was famous for the best 
dogs. Thus in ver. 405. we have 
veloces Sparta catulos. Varro also 
mentions the Laconian dogs in the 
first place: " Item videndum ut 
<( boni seminii sint : itaque a re- 
" gionibus appellantur Lacones, 
" Epirotici, Sallentini." 

346. Non secus ac patriis, &c.~| 
The Poet here compares the A- 
frican loaded with his arms and 
baggage to a Roman soldier on an 
expedition. We learn from Cicero, 
that the Romans carried not only 
their shields, swords, and helmets, 
but also provision for above half 
a month,, utensils, and stakes : 
" Nostri exercitus primum unde 
tl nomen habeant, vides : deinde 
" qui labor, quantus agminis : ferre 
f( plus dimidiati mensis cibaria : 
<( ferre, si quid ad usum velint : 
" ferre vallum : nam scutum, gla- 
" dram, galeam, in onere nostri 
<( inilites non plus numerant, quam 
" humeros, lacertos, manus." 
347- Injusto,] It is used for very 



great : as iniquo pondere rastri, and 
labor improbus urget. 

Hosti.'] Some read hostem. 

348. Agmine.'] Pierius tells us, 
that Arusianus Messus reads ordine. 

349. At non qua Scythice, &c] 
From Africa, the Poet passes to 
Scythia, and describes the man- 
ners of the northern shepherds. 
The description of winter, in these 
cold climates, has been justly ad- 
mired as one of the finest pieces of 
poetry extant. 

Scythia? gentes.] The ancients 
called all the northern nations Scy- 
thians. 

Maotiaque unda.] So I read with 
Heinsius and Masvicius. The com- 
mon reading is M&oticaque unda. 
Pierius says it is Mceotia in the 
Roman, the Medicean, and most 
of the ancient manuscripts. I find 
Mceotia in the Cambridge and Bod- 
leian manuscripts. 

The lake Maeotis, or sea of Azof, 
lies beyond the Black Sea, and re- 
ceives the waters of the Tanais, now 
called Don, a river of Muscovy. 

350. Ister.] He seems to mean 
Thrace and the adjoining coun- 
tries ; for it is only the lower part 
of the Danube that the ancients 
called Ister; as was observed in 
the note on ver. 497- of the second 
Georgick. 

351. Quaque redit medium Rho- 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



305 



Illic clausa tenent stabulis armenta ; neque ullee 
Aut herbae campo apparent, aut arbore frondes; 
Sed jacet aggeribus niveis informis, et alto 
Terra gelu late, septemque assurgit in ulnas. 355 
Semper hyems, semper spirantes frigora cauri. 
Turn sol pallentes baud unquam discutit umbras ; 



There they keep their herds 
shut up in stalls; and no 
herbs appear in the fields, no 
leaves on the trees ; the earth 
lies deformed with heaps of 
snow, and deep frost, and 
rises seven ells in height. 
There is always winter, al- 
ways north-west winds blow- 
ing cold. And then the sun 
hardly ever dispels the pale 
shades ; 



dope porrecta sub axon.] " Rhodope 
" is a mountain of Thrace, which 
" is extended eastward, and is there 
" joined with Haemus ; then part- 
" ing from it, it returns to the 
** northward." Ru^us. 

353. Neque ullce aut herbce campo 
apparent, aut arbore frondes. .] Thus 
also Ovid : 

Orbis in extremi jaceo desertus arenis : 
Fert ubi perpetuas obruta terra nives. 

Non ager hie pomum, non dulces edu- 
cat uvas : 
Non salices ripa, robora monte virent. 

355. Septemque assurgit in ulnas.] 
It has been much controverted, 
what measure we are to assign to 
the ulna. Some will have it" to be 
the measure from one long finger 
to the other, when both arms are 
extended, which we call an ell. 
Thus Dr. Trapp translates it : 



■ Ridgy heaps of snow 



Sev'n^lls in height, deform the country 
round. 

Others are of opinion that it means 
no more than a cubit, or foot and 
half, being the measure from the 
elbow to the end of the long finger. 
This they confirm by the etymology 
of ulna from Mvn. Thus Dryden 
translates it : 

The frozen earth lies buried there, below 
A hilly heap, sev'n cubits deep in snow: 

and before him., May : 

The hidden ground with hard frosts 

evermore, 
And snow seven cubites deepe is co- 

ver'd o'er. 



356. Cauri7\ See the note on 
ver. 278. 

357. Turn sol pollentes, &c] This 
and the following lines are an imi- 
tation of Homer's description of the 
habitation of the Cimmerians : 

'H££/ xcti vt<p$\y xw.a'hupiihvot. ovoi zfor 

airovs 
'HiXios <px'&wv ItfiSigzzrui axrivzirtrtv, 
Ov$ oTtor av <?ii%y<ri zf^o; ovgavov a?t- 

OvB-' orav a^p IvriyotTctv art ougc&voSev tstga- 

v^d.'ffyi'rui. 
'AXk' Ivri w^ oXoh rerarcci 2uXo7trt (Zgoroicri. 

There in a lonely land and gloomy cells, 
The dusky nation of Cimmeria dwells ; 
The sun ne'er views th* uncomfortable 

seats, 
When radiant he advances, or retreats : 
Unhappy race! whom endless night hi' 

vades, 
Clouds the dull air, and wraps them round 

in shades. 

Mr. Pope. 

The habitation of the Cimmerians 
was near the Bosphorus, to the 
north-west, being part of the coun- 
try here designed by Virgil. It 
cannot be imagined however, that 
Homer, in the passage just now 
cited, supposes that Ulysses sailed 
in one day from the island of Circe 
to the Bosphorus. It is more pro- 
bable that he means the people 
mentioned by Ephorus, as he is 
quoted by Strabo, who were said 
to have their habitation near the 
lake Avernus, under ground, where 
they lived all the day long, without 
seeing the sun, not coming up till 
after sun-set. They conducted those 
2 R 



306 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



neitheT when being carried by 
his horses he mounts the sky ; 
nor when he washes his head- 
long chariot in the red waves 
of the ocean. Sudden crusts 
grow over the running river; 
and the water now sustains 
iron wheels on its back, 



Nec cum invectus equis altum petit sethera, nee 

cum 
Praecipitem Oceani rubro lavit aequore currum. 
Concrescunt subitae currenti in flumine crustae, 
Undaque jam tergo ferratos sustinet orbes, 361 



who came to consult the infernal 
oracle, being a sort of priests to the 
Manes. Kxt rovro y^aqlov UXovraviov 
ri v7rzhdi{t£xvov, xxi rovg Kiftftzgiovg 
ivrxvS'x hzyzrSxi. xxi zWz7rtebv ye 01 
•ZF^oSve-dfAmi xxi ixxorofizvoi rovg xx- 
rxy^oviovg dxipovag, ovruv ruv vty-qyov- 
(tzvav rx rolx^z h^zav, z^yoXxZnxorav rov 

T07T6V *E$0£0g ^S roTg Kif/.Ui- 

Pioig -grpoaroixuSv <p^<rh xvrovg h xxrx~ 
yziotg oixiotig oikiiVj etg xxaovtiv ctgyiX- 
hxg 3 xxt dtx rlvav hpyypxrav zrx£ «A- 
>J{Kovg rz Qoirxv, xxi rovg %zvovg z'tg ro 

fAXVrilOV ^'lyjioSxi, TTOXlt V7T0 yitg ibpypk- 

vov, £?v S' d,%o f&zrxXXztxg xxt rm pxv- 
rzvop'zwv, xxi rov fixcriXzag X7to<iil%xvrog 
avrolg trvvrx^zig. Ehxi M roTg srzp) to 
X^fyi^ov zB-og -zsrxr^tov, fiv$zvx rov qhiov 
cpxv, uXXx rm vvxrog s|a> sropzvZ<&xi 
ruv yjxtrpxrm. xxi Six rovro rov zroin~ 
rhv srzpi xvrm z'mziv, ag xpec 



ovoi zsor avrov; 



'KiXtes <p</AS-uv iiribigxirai. 

359. Oceani rubro <equore.~\ The 
waves of the ocean seem to be 
called red in this place, on account 
of the reflection of the setting sun. 
It is however very frequent amongst 
the poets, to call the sea purple. 
Thus also our Foet, in the fourth 
Georgick : 

Eridanus, quo non alius per pinguia culta 
In mare purpureum violentior influit 
amnis. 

Cicero, in a fragment of the second 
book of Academics, preserved by 
Nonius, describes the waves of the 
sea as growing purple, when it is 
cut by oars : <c Quid ? mare nonne 
" cseruleum? at ejus unda, cum 



" est pulsa remis, purpurascit." In 
the fourth book, he mentions the 
sea as being purple on the blowing 
of Favonius : " Mare illud quidem, 
" nunc Favonio nascente, purpu- 
" reum videtur." 

360. Concrescunt subitce currenti 
in flumine crustce.~\ In is wanting 
in the King's manuscript. 

This is meant of the sudden 
freezing of the rivers in the north- 
ern countries. 

361. Undaque jam tergo, &c] 
Ovid also speaks of the freezing of 
the Danube so hard, that carriages 
were drawn, where ships had 
sailed : 

Quid loquar, ut vincti concrescant frigore 
rivi, 
Deque lacu fragiles effodiantur aquae ? 
Ipse, papyrifero qui non angustior amne 

Miscetur vasto multa per ora freto, 
Caeruleos ventis latices durantibus Ister 
Congelat, et tectis in mare serpit aquis. 
Quaque rates ierant, pedibus nunc itur : 
et undas 
Frigore concretas ungula pulsat equi. 
Perque novos pontes subter labentibus 
undis 
Ducunt Sarmatici barbara plaustra 
boves. 

Strabo mentions the freezing of the 
lake Maeotis so hard, that the lieu- 
tenant of Mithridates overcame the 
Barbarians in a battle fought on 
the ice, in the very place where, in 
the following summer, he van- 
quished them in a sea fight : Ol 11 
irotyoi 7?xg xvroig roiovroi ring zitrtv hri 
rS <?opxri rm hlpvqg r*ig Mxianoog, a<? 
h XOiQia, tv a yzipmog o rov MiSgidoirov 
r^xmyog hixt<n rovg $xt£>*povg Intro- 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



307 



Puppibus ilia prius patulis, nunc hospita plau- 

stris. 
iEraque dissiliunt vulgo, vestesque rigescunt 
Indutas, caeduntque securibus humida vina, 
Et totag solidam in glaciem vertere lacunae, 365 
Stiriaque impexis induruit horrida barbis. 



and what before admitted 
broad ships, now is made a 
road for carriages ; and brass 
frequently bursts in sunder, 
their clothes freeze on their 
backs, and they cleave the 
liquid wine with axes, and 
whole pools are turned into 
solid ice, and rigid icicles 
harden on their uncombed 
beards. 



f&x%a>v i7Ct Tft> TCotycd, rovg etvrovg Kocrd- 
wvpciysicreu Sz^ovg, Xv&vrog rov TTolyov. 
363. Mraque dissiliunt.'] Era- 
tosthenes, as he is quoted by Strabo, 
speaks of a copper or brazen vessel 
being placed in a temple of iEscu- 
lapius, in memory of its having 
been bursten by frost : *0 £' 'Egare- 
c$hvi<; Kott rovr) ro y^dppx. wepty'i^ircM 
ro gv ra AtrKMKiiif rm Ylot,vriKot,7Cot,izav , 
27TI tjj Qocyucvi %«sA«£*j vfy'ec diet rov 
vrciyov, 

Ei ns a.£ uvB-gattw p.n zs'eiB-trat ola, zfct,£ 

'AfJUV 
Ttvirai, us rmli yveorco l§&/v ifigietv' 
Hi» ov% awS-fifict B-tou xaXov, aXk' ttffttt- 

Kit/twos ftsyaKov 3-jfo' hgivs 'Xt^utios. 

164. Cceduntque securibus humida 
vina.] This freezing of wine has 
by some been supposed to be only 
a poetical fiction. But Ovid, who 
was banished into these countries, 
mentions it: 

Udaque consistunt formam servautia 
testae, 
Vina : nee hausta meri, sed data frusta 
bibunt. 

Captain James, who, in his voyage 
to discover the north-west passage, 
wintered in Greenland in 1631 and 
1632, says their vinegar, oil, and 
sack, which they had in small casks 
in the house, was all hard frozen. 
Captain Monck, a Dane, who win- 
tered there in 1619 and 1620, re- 
lates that no wine or brandy was 
strong enough to be proof against 
the cold, but froze to the bottom, 
and that the vessels split in pieces, 



so that they cut the frozen liquor 
with hatchets, and melted it at the 
fire, before they could drink it. M. 
de Maupertuis, who, with some 
other Academicians, was sent by 
the king of France, in 1736, to 
measure a degree of the meridian 
under the ^arctic circle, says that 
brandy was the only liquor, which 
could be kept sufficiently fluid for 
them to drink : " Pendant un froid 
" si grand, que la langue et les 
te levres se geloient sur le champ 
" contre la tasse, lorsqu'on vouloit 
" boire de l'eau-de-vie, qui e"toit 
*' la seule liqueur qu'on put tenir 
" assez liquide pour la hoire, et ne 
" s'en arrachoient que sanglantes." 
And a little afterwards he tells us, 
that the spirit of wine froze in 
their thermometers. 

The epithet humida does not 
seem to be an idle epithet here, as 
many have imagined. The Poet 
uses it to express the great severity 
of the cold ; that even wine, which 
above all other liquors preserves 
its fluidity in the coldest weather 
in other countries, is so hard frozen 
in these northern regions, as to 
require to be cut with hatchets. 
Ovid also, in the verses quoted at 
the beginning of this note, uses the 
epithet uda, on the same occasion. 

365. Et totce solidam in glaciemr] 
<( In the Roman manuscript it is 
fe Et totce in solidam : but solidam 
cc in glaciem is much more elegant/' 

PlERIUS. * 

366. Stiriaque impexis induruit 
horrida barbis.] Thus Ovid : 

2 it 2 



308 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



In the mean while it snows 
incessantly over all the air : 
the cattle perish : the large 
bodies of oxen stand covered 
with frost : and whole herds 
of deer lie benumbed under an 
unusual weight, and scarce 
the tips of their horns appear. 
These are not hunted with 
dogs, or ensnared with toils, 
or affrighted with crimson 
feathers: butthey are stabbed 
directly, whilst they vainly 
strive to move the opposing 
hill, and make' aloud braying, 
and are carried home with a 
joyful noise. The inhabitants 
themselves live in secure rest 
in caves which they have 
digged deep in the ground; 
and roll whole oaks and elms 
to the hearth, and set them 
on fire. Here they spend the 
night in sport, 



Interea toto non secius aere ningit ; 
Intereunt pecudes, stant circumfusa pritinis 
Corpora magna boum; confertoque agminecervi 
Torpent mole nova, et summis vix cornibus ex- 
tant. 370 
Hos non immissis canibus, non cassibus ullis 
Puniceaeve agitant pavidos formidine pennae : 
Sed frustra oppositum trudentes pectore montem 
Comminus obtruncant ferro, graviterque ru- 

dentes 
Caedunt, et magno laeti clamore reportant. 375 
Ipsi in defossis specubus secura sub alta 
Otia agunt terra, congestaque robora, totasque 
Advolvere focis ulmos, ignique dedere. 
Hie noctem ludo ducunt, et pocula laeti 



Saepe sonant moti glacie pendente capilli, 
Et nitet inducto Candida barba gelu. 

367. Aere.~] In one of the Arun- 
delian manuscripts it is cequore. 

369. Confertoque agmine cervi."] 
Pierius says it is confecto in the 
Roman manuscript. It is conserto 
in the King's manuscript. 

The Poet mentions herds of 
deer, because those animals do not 
live solitary, but in herds. 

371. Non cassibus.] In one of 
the Arundelian manuscripts it is 
nee cassibus. 

372. Puniceceve agitant pavidos 
formidine pennce.] In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is puniceaque. 
In the King's manuscript it is pe- 
cudes instead of pavidos. 

It was the custom to hang up 
coloured feathers on lines, to scare 
the deer into the toils. 

3/3. Sed frustra.] Pierius says 
it is et frustra in the Roman manu- 
script. 

376. In defossis specubus.] Pom- 
ponius Mela, speaking of the Sar- 
matae, says they dig holes in the 



earth for their habitations, to avoid 
the severity of winter : " Sarmatae 
" auri et argenti, maximarum pes- 
" tium, ignari, vice rerutn com- 
" mercia exercent : atque ob saeva 
" hyemis admodum assiduae, de- 
" mersis in humum sedibus, specus 
" aut suffossa habitant, totum brac- 
" cati corpus j et nisi qua vident, 
" etiam ora vestiti/' And Tacitus 
also says the Germans used to 
make caves to defend them from 
the severity of winter, and conceal 
their corn:: u Solent et subterra- 
" neos specus aperire, eosque insu- 
" per multo fimo onerant, suffu- 
" gium hyemi, et receptaculum 
" frugibus.'' 

377. Totasque.] Pierius says que 
is left out in many ancient manu- 
scripts. I find the same reading, 
in the King's, the Bodleian, and in 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts, 
and in some of the old printed 
editions. 

379. Pocula Icsti fermento atque 
acidis imitantur viiea sorbis.] Kuaeus 
interprets this passage to mean beer 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



309 



Fermento atque acidis imitantur vitea sorbis. 380 j; a Ve m S e barmlndfo^^ 



vices, 



and cyder. Fermcntum, he says, sig- 
nifies the fermentation of barley, 
wheat, or oats ; when by a certain 
medicated heat the grain swells, 
and grows acid, which are the two 
effects of fermentation ; which is 
therefore named from ferveo, as it 
were fervimentum: and thus beer 
is made. The other liquor is ex- 
pressed from acid berries and fruits 
squeezed, such as apples, pears, 
cornels, services : and is called 
cyder, &c. Dr. Trapp interprets 
fermentum yest or barm, which, he 
thinks, is put for the liquor which 
it makes. But if fermentum means 
what we call yest or barm, I 
should rather think the Poet speaks 
only of one sort of liquor, made 
of the juice of services, fermented 
with yest: not of two sorts, as 
Dr. Trapp translates this passage; 

And beer and cyder quaff, instead of 
wine. 

Yest alone will not make any pota- 
ble liquor. But let us see what the 
ancients did really mean by the 
word fermentum. We shall find 
this in Pliny, who plainly enough 
describes it to be what we call 
leaven : for he says it is made of 
dough, kept till it grows sour : 
te Nunc fermentum fit ex ipsa 
<c farina quae subigitur, prius quam 
" addatur sal, ad pultis modum 
" decocta, et relicta donee acescat." 
I must acknowledge, that it is 
somewhat difficult to conceive what 
sort of liquor could be made of 
this leaven. Perhaps instead of 
fermento, we ought to read fru- 
mento, which will remove all the 
difficulty. It is certain that not 
only the northern people, but other 
nations also used drink made of 
corn. Thus Pliny ascribes this 



liquor to the western people, and 
to the Egyptians : " Est et Occi- 
" dentis populis sua ebrietas, fruge 
" madida: pluribus modis per Gal- 
" lias Hispaniasquenominibus aliis, 
<c sed ratione eadem. Hispaniae 
" jam et vetustatem ferre ea genera 
u docuerunt. iEgyptus quoque e 
" fruge sibi potus similes excogi- 
' ' tavit : nullaque in parte mundi 
" cessat ebrietas." The same au- 
thor tells us that various liquors 
are made of corn, in Egypt, Spain, 
and Gaul, under different names: 
" Et frugum quidem haec sunt in 
" usu medico. Ex iisdem fiunt et 
" potus, zythum in iEgypto, caelia 
" et caeria in Hispania, cervisia in 
" Gallia, aliisque provinciis." Ta- 
citus, in his book De Moribus Ger- 
manorum, says expressly, that the 
common drink of that people was 
made of corn, corrupted into a 
resemblance of wine : te Potui hu- 
" mor ex hordeo aut frumento, in 
" quandam similitudinem vini cor- 
" ruptus." Strabo mentions drink 
being made of corn and honey in 
Thule : ILeg' clg cil <nros xoti ftzXt y/y- 

HTCCt, XOti TO TTOftcC iVTivSiV 6%UV. 

As for the drink made of ser- 
vices, I do not find it mentioned by 
any Roman writer, except Palla- 
dius, who speaks of it only by 
hearsay : (( Ex sorbis maturis, sicut 
" ex pyris, vinum fieri traditur et 
te acetum." We find in the same 
author, that in his time wines 
were made of several sorts of fruit: 
" Hoc mense [Octobri] omnia, qua? 
" locis suis leguntur, ex pom is vina 
tc confides." He mentions perry, 
or the wine made of pears, and 
describes the manner of making it: 
<l Vinum de pyris fit, si contusa, 
(C et sacco rarissimo condita pon- 
" deribus comprimantur, aut pree- 



310 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



^ttSW&FS Talis Hyperboreo septem subjecta trioni, 

north pole, and are pierced 
by the Riphaean east wind : 



Gens effraena virum Riphaeo tunditur euro, 



<e lo." He speaks also of cyder : 
" Vinum et acetum fit ex malis, 
" sicut ex pyris ante praecepi." 

381. Hyperboreo.] See the note 
on ver. 196. 

Septem subjecta trioni.] This Tme- 
sis, as the grammarians call it, or 
division of septemtrio into two 
words, is not unfrequent. Thus 
Ovid : 

— ■ Scythiam, septemque trionem 
Horrifer invasit Boreas : 

And 

Gurgite caeruleo septem prohibete triones: 
And 



Interque triones 



Flexerat obliquo plaustrum temone 
Bootes. 

Nay we often find triones without 
septem. Thus our Poet in the first 
and third iEneids : 

Arcturum pluviasque Hyadas, geminos- 
que triones. 

Thus also Ovid: 

Turn primum radiis gelidi caluere trio- 
nes: 

- . Interque triones 

Flexerat obliquo plaustrum temone 
Bootes. 

The triones or septem triones are the 
two northern constellations, com- 
monly known by the names of the 
greater and lesser bear, in each of 
which are seven stars placed nearly 
in the same order, and which were 
fancied by the ancients to repre- 
sent a waggon, and were therefore 
called «ftet%cu and plaustra : whence 
we also call the seven stars in the 
rump and tail of the great bear 
Charles's wain. MYms and Varro, 
as they are quoted by Aulus Gel- 
lius, tell us that triones is as it 



were terriones, and was a name by 
which the old husbandmen called 
a team of oxen : " Sed ego quidem 
" cum L. iElio et M. Varrone sen- 
" tio, qui triones rustico certo vo- 
" cabulo boves appellatos scribunt, 
" quasi quosdam terriones, hoc est 
" arandae colendaeque terrae idoneos. 
" Itaque hoc sidus, quod a figura 
*' posituraque ipsa, quia simile 
" plaustri videtur, antiqui Graeco- 
" rum & t uotj-xv dixerunt, nostri quo- 
" que veteres a bubus junctis sep- 
te tentriones appellarunt, id est, a 
" septem stellis, ex quibus quasi 
" juncti triones figurantur." 1 be- 
lieve that Virgil, by using trioni in 
the singular number, and adding 
the epithet Hyperboreo, means the 
lesser bear, under which are situ- 
ated those who live within the 
arctic circle. Dr. Trapp seems to 
understand our Poet in this sense : 

Such is th' unbroken race of men, who 

live 
Beneath the pole. 

Dryden has introduced the Dutch 
in this place, and bestowed the epi- 
thet unwarlike upon them, which 
is not in the least countenanced ei- 
ther by history, or the words of his 
author : 

Such are the cold Ryphean race, and 

such 
The savage Scythian, and unwarlike 

Dutch. 

382. Riphao tunditur euro7\ It 
has been already observed, that the 
Riphaean hills are probably that 
great ridge of mountains which di- 
vides Lapland from the northern 
part of Muscovy. 

Why the poet mentions the east 
wind in this place, as blowing on 
the Hyperboreans from the Riphae- 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



S1I 



Et pecudum fulvis velatur corpora setis : 
Si tibi Lanicium curae ; primum aspera sylva, 
Lappaeque tribulique absint : fuge pabula 
lseta; 385 



and have their bodies covered 
with the yellow spoils of 
beasts. If wool is your care-; 
in the first place avoid prickly 
bushes, and burrs, and cal- 
trops ; and shun the fat pas- 
tures: 



an hills, seems not very clear. It 
has already been observed, that 
those people were supposed to dwell 
on the north side of those hills, 
which was imagined to be even be- 
yond the rising of the north wind. 
Strabo seems to treat the Riphaean 
hills themselves as a fabulous in- 
vention : Aict e& rtiv eiymo&v rm ronm 
rovravj cl ik 'Vittoucc, og», xxi rovs 'Xtts^- 

Pliny speaks of them as joining to 
Taurus : <f Taurus mons ab Eois 
" venienslittoribus,Chelidoniopro- 
" montorio disterminat. Immen- 
" sus ipse, et innumerarum gentium 
" arbiter dextero latere septentrio- 
(C nalis, ubi primum ab Indico mari 
" exurgit, laevo meridianus, et ad 
" occasum tendens : mediamque 
" distrahens Asiam, nisi opprimenti 
" terras occurrerent maria. Resi- 
" lit ergo ad septentriones, flexus- 
€< que immensum iter quaerit, velut 
" de industria rerum natura subinde 
'* sequora opponente, hinc Phceni- 
<c cium, hinc Ponticum, illinc Cas- 
" pium et Hyrcanium, contraque 
" Maeoticumlacum. Torquetur ita- 
" que collisus inter haec claustra, et 
** tamen victor, flexuosus evadit 
u usque ad cognata Riphceorum mon- 
" Hum juga, numerosis nominibus 
" et novis quacunque incedit insig- 
" nis." And in another place he 
says, " Subjicitur Ponti regio Col- 
u chica, in qua juga Caucasi ad 
" Riphaos montes torquentur, ut 
" dictum est, altera latere in Eu- 
" xinum et Maeotin devexa, altera 
" in Caspium et Hyrcanium mare." 
383. Pecudum fulvis velatur cor- 
pora setis. 2 I read velatur with Hein- 



sius and Masvicius : the common 
reading is velantur. Pierius says it 
is velatur in the Roman manuscript, 
and in another of great antiquity, 
where n has been interlined by 
some other hand. 

Ovid mentions the Getae as being 
clothed with skins : 

Hie mihi Cimmerio bis tertia ducitur 
sestas 
Littore pellitos inter agenda Getas. 

Tacitus also, speaking of the north- 
ern people, says, u Gerunt et fe- 
" rarum pelles, proximi ripae negli- 
" genter, ulteriores exquisitius, ut 
u quibus nullus per commercia cul- 
" tus." 

384. Si tibi, &c] The poet here 
gives directions about taking care 
of the wool: he observes, that 
prickly places and fat pastures are 
to be avoided ; and then gives di- 
rections about the choice of the 
sheep, and particularly of the rams : 

Si.'] It is sit in the old Nuren- 
berg edition. 

Aspera sylva."] All prickly bushes 
are injurious to sheep, by rending 
their fine wool, and wounding their 
flesh, which he mentions soon after 
amongst their diseases : (< secue- 
" runt corpora vepres." 

385. Lappceque trubulique.'] See 
the note on book i. ver. 153. 

Fuge pabula lata.} The wool is 
thought not to be so good, if the 
cattle are very fat. Columella men- 
tions the hungry lands about Parma 
and Modena, as feeding the most 
valuable sheep : " Nunc Gallicae 
'* pretiosiores habentur, earumque 
*' prsecipue Altinates : item quae 



312 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



SSwelS'yS? fffiE Continuoque greges villis lege mollibus albos. 

which are white with soft T11 ... •■•■■• 

wool. Nay, though the ram Ilium autem, quamvis anes sitcandidus ipse, 

should be of the purest white, * r ' 

S hifmoisfpai^r'eiect Ni S ra subest udo tantum cui lingua palato, 

^ fl ^rf te hi? SKj Rejice, ne maculis infuscet vellera pullis 

with dusky spots ; 



" circa Parmam et Mutinam macris 
(f stabulantur campis." 

386. Continuo.] See the note on 
ver. 75. 

Greges villis lege mollibus albos.] 
Varro mentions the softness of the 
wool, as essential in a good sheep : 
" De forma, ovem esse oportet cor- 
" pore amplo, quae lana multa sit 
" et molli, villis altis et densis toto 
c< corpore, maxime circum cervicem 
**■ et collum, ventrem quoque ut 
" habeat pilosum, itaque quae id 
" non haberent, majores nostri api- 
<e cas appellabant, et rejiciebant." 
Columella says the whitest are most 
esteemed ; <( Color albus cum sit 
" optimus, tuin etiam est utilissi- 
" mus ; quod ex eo plurimi fiunt, 
<f neque hie ex alio." Palladius 
also observes, that regard is to be 
had to the softness of the wool : 
<e Eligenda est vasti corporis, et 
u prolixi, velleris, ac mollissimi, la- 
tf nosi, et magni uteri." 

388. Nigra subest udo tantum cui 
lingua palato.] Aristotle affirms, 
that the lambs will be white, or 
black, or red, according to the co- 
lour of the veins under the tongue 
of the ram : Aivku, dl ret tKyovec yiv&lott 
xxi piXotiva, lotv V7T0 Ty rov kp^iov yXarlvi 
Xivzcti <pXzQz$ dxriv n ft'zXctivxi. tevzes 
fth, le\v tevKoe,), [tiXaivx, £e, \o\t f/AXxivxi. 
iotv tfe ctfttyoripcu, oif&tyorigot. srv\fa ^S, 
lotv srvfaL Varro also, from whom 
Virgil took this observation, gives 
a caution to observe if the tongue 
of a ram be black, or speckled, be- 
cause the lambs wll be of the same 
colour : " Animadvertendum quo- 
" que linguane nigra, aut varia sit, 
e( quod fere qui ea habent, nigros 



" autvarios,procreantagnos." Co- 
lumella, who quotes our poet on 
this occasion, enlarges on what he 
has said. He observes, that it is 
not enough for the fleece of a ram 
to be white, but his palate and 
tongue must be white also. For if 
these parts of the body are dark or 
spotted, the lambs will be dark and 
spotted too. He adds, that it is the 
same with black and red rams ; and 
that if any regard is had to the 
wool, the marks of the male parent 
are chiefly to be observed : " Itaque 
" non solum ea ratio est probandi 
" arietis, si vellere candido vestitur, 
" sed etiam si palatum, atque lin- 
f< gua concolor lanee est. Nam cum 
" hae corporis partes nigrae aut ma- 
(t culosae sunt, pulla vel etiam varia 
(( nascitur proles. Idque inter cae- 
(< tera exicnie talibus numeris signi- 
" ficavit idem, qui supra : Ilium 

tc autem, quamvis aries, &c 

fe Una eademque ratio est in ery- 
u thraeis, et nigris arietibus, quo- 
" rum similiter, ut jam dixir, neutra 
" pars esse debet discolor lanae, 
(< multoque minus ipsa universitas 
" tergoris maculis variet. Ideo 
' ' nisi lanatas oves emi non oportet, 
<e quo melius unitas coloris appa- 
ff reat : quae nisi praecipua est in 
" arietibus, paternae notae plerum- 
" que natis inhaerent." Palladius 
also affirms, that if the tongue of 
the ram is spotted, the same de- 
fect will appear in his offspring : 
" In quibus non solum corporis 
" candor considerandus est, sed 
' e etiam lingua, qua* si maculis fus- 
" cabitur, varietatem reddit in so- 
" bole." 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



313 



Nascentum : plenoque alium circumspice 
campo. 390 

Munere sic niveo lanae, si credere dignum est, 
Pan deus Arcadia? captam te, Luna, fefellit, 
In nemora alta vocans : nee tu aspernata vo- 

cantem. 
At cui lactis amor, cytisos, lotosque frequentes 
Ipse manu, salsasque ferat praesepibus herbas. 



and search all over the plain 
for another. Thus Pan the 
god of Arcadia, if we may 
give credit to the story, de- 
ceived thee, O Moon, being 
captivated with asnowy offer- 
ing of wool ; nor did you de- 
spise his invitation to come 
into the lofty woods. But 
those who desire to have 
milk, must give them with 
their own hands plenty of 
cytisus and water-lilies, and 
lay salt herbs in their cribs. 



390. Nascentum."] In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is nascentis. 

Pleno.] In the King's manuscript 
it is piano. 

391 • Munere sic niveo, &c] This 
and the following line are trans- 
posed, in both Dr. Mead's manu- 
scripts. 

Servius accuses Virgil of having 
changed the story, for it was not 
Pan, but Endymion, who was said 
to be beloved by the Moon, on ac* 
count of his milk white sheep, with 
which he bribed her to his embraces. 
But I do not remember to have 
read in any of the ancient authors, 
that Endymion had any occasion to 
take pains to seduce the Moon. On 
the contrary, she fell in love with 
him, as he lay asleep on the moun- 
tain Latmos, or, as Cicero relates 
the fable, threw him into a sleep on 
purpose that she might have that 
opportunity of enjoyinghim: "En- 
" dymion vero, si fabulas audire 
" volumus, nescio quando in Latmo 
" obdormivit, qui est mons Cariae, 
" nondumopinorexperrectus. Num 
" igitur eum curare censes, cum 
" Luna laboret, a qua consopitus pu- 
" tatur ut eum dormientem osculare- 
" tur ?" This cannot therefore be 
the fable, to which Virgil alludes. 
Macrobius affirms, that Virgil took 
this fable of Pan and the Moon 
from the Georgicks of Nicander, 
which are now lost. The fable it- 
self is variously related. Probus 



tells us, that Pan being in love with 
the Moon offered her the choice of 
any part of his flock : that she 
choosing the whitest, was deceived, 
because they were the worst sheep. 
But surely, if the whitest sheep 
were the worst in the flock, it would 
not have answered Virgil's purpose 
to have alluded to the fable. I 
rather believe the fable, which our 
poet meant, was as Philargyrius 
and some others have related it -, 
that Pan changed himself into a 
ram as white as snow, by which 
the Moon was deceived, as Europa 
was by Jupiter, in the form of a 
white bull. 

394. At cui lactis amor, &c] This 
paragraph informs us, that those 
who feed sheep for the sake of 
their milk, must afford them great 
plenty of proper nourishment. 

Cytisum.] See the note on book 
ii. ver. 431. 

Lotos.] I have ventured to trans- 
late this water-lilies on the credit of 
Prosper Alpinus. See the note on 
book ii. ver. 84. The great white 
water lily grows in rivers and deep 
ditches. 

395. Ipse.,"] Pierius says it is Me 
in the Roman and Medicean ma- 
nuscripts, but he justly prefers ipse, 
as being more emphatical. I find 
Me in the King's and both the 
Arundelian manuscripts, and some 
of the oldest printed editions. 

Salsasque ferat praesepibus herbas.] 
2s 



314 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



This makes them fonder of 
drinking, and more distends 
their udders, and gives an 
obscure relish of salt to their 
mil k . Many restrain the kids 
from their dams as soon as 
they aregrown big, and fasten 
muzzles with iron spikes 
about their mouths. What 
they have milked at sun- 
rising and in the dav time, 
they press at night ; but what 
they milk in the night and 
at sun-setting, the shepherd 
carriesatday-break in baskets 
to the town, or else they mix 
it with a small quantity of 
salt, and lay it up for winter. 
Nor let your care of dogs be 
the last ; but 



Hinc et amant fluvios magis, et magis libera ten- 
dunt, 396 

Et salis occultiim referunt in lactesaporem. 

Multi jam excretos prohibent a matribus hcedos, 

Frimaque ferratis praefigunt ora capistris. 

Quod surgente die jnulsere, horisque diurnis, 

Nocte premunt ; quod jam tenebris et sole ca- 
dente, 401 

Sub lucem exportans calathis adit oppida pastor ; 

Aut parco sale contingunt, hyemique reponunt. 

Nee tibi cura canum fuerit postrema ; sed una 



Columella does not approve the 
giving of marsh herbs to sheep that 
are in health ; he recommends salt 
to be given them when they are 
sick, and refuse their food and 
drink. " Jucundissimas herbas esse, 
" quae aratro proscissis arvis nas- 
te cantur : deinde quae pratis uli- 
*f gine carentibus : palustres, syl- 
(C vestresque minime idoneas ha- 
" beri: nee tamen ulla sunt tarn 
" blanda pabula, aut etiam pascua, 
<c quorum gratia non exolescat usu 
<e continuo, nisi pecudum fastidio 
" pastor occurrerit prsebito sale, 
** quod velut ad pabuli condimen- 
" turn per aestatem canalibus lig- 
f< neis impositum cum e pastu re- 
fe dierint oves, lambunt, atque eo 
" sapore cupidinem bibendi. pas- 
" cendique concipiunt." 

398. Jam.] It is etiam in the 
King's and in both the Arundelian 
manuscripts. 

399. Ferratis capistris. - ] These 
muzzles, of which the poet speaks, 
are not such as confine the mouth 
of the lamb or kid, for then it could 
not eat. They are iron spikes fast- 
ened about the snout, which prick 
the dam, if she offers to let her 
young one suck. 

402. Calathis.] Servius interprets 



calathis brazen vessels, in which 
they used to carry milk and new 
cheese to town. But it was cer- 
tainly a vessel not at all fit to carry 
milk : for it was made on purpose 
for the whey to run through and 
leave the curd behind, in order to 
make cheese, as we find it de- 
scribed by Columella : " Nee tamen 
" admovenda est flammis, ut qui- 
" busdam placet, sed baud procul 
" igne constituenda, et confestim 
" cum concrevit, liquor in fiscellas, 
" aut in calathos, vel forrnas trans- 
" ferendus est. Nam maxime re- 
<( fert primo quoque tempore serum 
" percolari, et a concreta materia 
" separari." 

404. Nee tibi cura canum, &c] 
Immediately after sheep and goats, 
the Poet makes mention of dogs; 
some of which are necessary to de- 
fend the folds against robbers and 
wolves, and others are of service in 
hunting. 

Hesiod also advises us to take 
good care to have our dogs well 
fed, least the man that sleeps by day 
should deprive us of our goods: 

Kai xuvx x*g%xgohvr* xopu*. ph <pifia 

ff'irov. 
M>» ztori tr vfAt^oxeiros avwj «*« AS£*V**-*' 

tXrireu. 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



315 



Veloces Spartae catulos, acremque Molossum 
Pasce sero pingui s nunquam custodibus illis 
Nocturnum stabulis furem, incursusque lupo- 

407 



rum, 



Aut impacatos a tergo horrebis Iberos. 



feed with fattening whey the 
swift hounds of Sparta, and 
the fierce mastiff of Molossia ; 
trusting to those guards you 
need never to fear che nightly 
robber in your fold, nor the 
incursions of wolves, nor the 
re3tless Spaniards coming 
upon you by stealth. 



405. Veloces Spartae catulos.] The 
dogs of Sparta were famous, thus 
we have seen already Taygetique 
canes and Amyclceumque canem. I 
take these Spartan dogs to be what 
we call hounds, for we find they 
were used in hunting} and Aristo- 
tle says they have long snouts, and 
a very quick scent : A<« o<rm d pv 

KTtj(>i$ flOtXfp), 0109 TUV AstXUViXliv xvvi- 

iiiuv, ortp^oivTiKu. We may observe 
also that Aristotle calls them xvvidtx, 
and Virgil catuli, whence we may 
judge that they were a smaller sort 
of dogs, than those which were 
used for the defence of the folds. 

Acremque Molossum.] This dog 
has its name from Molossia, a city 
of Epirus. I take it to be that sort 
which we call a mastiff. Aristotle 
says there are two sorts of Molos- 
sian dogs : that, which is used for 
hunting, is not different from the 
common sort; but that, which is 
used by the shepherds, is large, and 
fierce against wild beasts : To 2' h 
tjj MoXorrtx, ygvo? rm xvvZv, to f&lv Sjj- 

giVTlXOV Clidlv ^IXtpi^it TTftOS TO 7TX^BC T«$ 

scXXotg. to £' axoXovBov ro?$ TT^oQdirois ra 
fiiy'&u, xeci Ty dvcigt'ot Ttj Trgo? t« Sjjg/a. 
There is frequent mention of the 
loud barking of these dogs. Thus 
Lucretius : 

Irritata canum cum primum magna Mo- 
lossum 

Mollia ricta fremunt duros nudantia 
dentes : 

And Horace : 

Simul domus alta Molossis 

Personuit canibus. 

Columella speaks of two sorts of 



dogs, one to guard the house, and 
the other to defend the folds. That 
which he recommends for the house, 
seems to be the mastiff, or molossus. 
He says it should be of the largest 
size, should bark deep and loud, 
that he may terrify the thieves with 
his voice as well as with his look, 
nay and sometimes without being 
seen affright them with a horrid 
growling : Ci VilJse custos eligendus 
f* est amplissimi corporis, vasti la- 
" tratus, canorique, ut prius auditu 
" maleficum, deinde etiam con- 
t( spectu terreat, et tamen nonnun- 
M quam ne visus quidem horribili 
" fremitu suo fuget insidiantem." 

408. Iberos.'] The Iberi have by 
some been supposed to be a people 
of that name who anciently dwelt 
in Pontus. But we find in Pliny 
that these Iberians were some of 
the people, who settled in Spain : 
" In universam Hispaniam M. Var- 
" ro pervenisse Iberos et Persas, et 
" Phcenicas, Celtasque et Pcenos 
" tradit." The same author soon 
after informs us, that all Spain was 
called Iberia from the river Iberus ' 
" Iberus amnis navigabili com- 
u mercio dives, ortus in Cantabris 
" haud procul oppido, Juliobrica, 
" ccccl. M. pass, fluens, navium per 
" eclx. M. a Varia oppido capax, 
" quern propter universam Hispa- 
" niam Graeci appellavere Iberiam." 
The Iberus is now called the Ebro, 
and has the city of Saragossa on its 
banks. The Spaniards were so fa- 
mous for their robberies, that the 
Poet makes use of their name, in 
this place, for robbers in general 

2 s 2 



316 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



With dogs you will often 
course the timorous wild 
asses, with dogs you will hunt 
the hare and hind. Often- 
times also with the harking 
of your dogs you will rouse 
the wild boar from his muddy 
habitations : and with their 
noise drive the vast stag over 
the lofty mountains into the 
to'ls. Le^rn also to burn the 
odorous cedar in your folds, 



Saepe etiam cursu timidos agitabis onagros, 
Et canibus leporem, canibus venabere damas. 
Saepe volutabris pulsos sylvestribus apros 411 
Latratu turbabis agens, montesque per altos 
Ingentem clam ore premes ad retia cervum. 
Disce et odoratam stabulis accendere cedrum, 



It cannot be supposed, that he 
means literally the Spaniards them- 
selves ; for those people were too 
far removed from Italy, to be able 
to come by night to rob their sheep- 
folds. La Cerda has taken much 
pains to justify his countrymen, by 
shewing that it was anciently very 
glorious to live by rapine. 

40!). Timidos.] It is tumidos in 
one of the Arundelian manuscripts. 

Onagros.'] The Onager or wild 
ass is an animal of Syria, frequent 
about Aleppo and Apamia. The 
skin of it is very hard, and is 
dressed into that sort of knotty 
leather, which we call chagriu. 
Varro says the wild asses are very 
numerous in Phrygia and Lycaonia, 
and are easily made tame : " Unum 
f< ferum, quos vocant Onagros, in 
■ f Phrygia et Lycaonia sunt greges 

ft multi Ad seminationem 

'f onagrus idoneus, quod e fero fit 
" mansuetus facile, et e mansueto 
" ferus nunquam." We find that 
their flesh was in great esteem 
amongst the ancients. Pliny men- 
tions it as a singular taste in Mae- 
cenas, that he preferred the colts of 
the tame ass to those of the wild 
one : " Pullos earum epulari Mae- 
" cenas instituit, multum eo tem- 
'* pore praelatos onagris : post eum 
" interiit autoritas saporis," The 
same author speaks of the wild 
asses of Africa, as excelling all 
others in taste: <( Onagri in Phry- 
" gia et Lycaonia praecipui. Pull is 
(< eorum ceu proestantibus sapore, 
" Africa gloriatur, quos lalisiones 



" appellant." Virgil has been cen- 
sured for mentioning the hunting 
of these animals, of which there 
were none in Italy. Varro indeed 
seems to speak as if there was no 
sort of asses in Italy, except the 
tame: " Alterum mahsuetum, ut 
u sunt in Italia omnes." But, as 
we have just now been told that 
Maecenas preferred the flesh of the 
tame ass to that of the wild one, 
we may conclude, that the wild 
asses were in Italy in Virgil's 
time. 

411. Volutabris.] This word pro- 
perly signifies the muddy places in 
which the swine delight to roll. 
Thus Varro : " Admissuras cum fa- 
1 ' ciunt, prodigunt in lutosos limites, 
" ac lustra, ut volutentur in luto, 
<e quse est illorum requies, ut la- 
" vatio hominis." 

414. Disce et odoratam.'] The 
Poet now proceeds to shew the in- 
juries to which cattle are subject : 
and begins with a beautiful account 
of serpents. 

Odoratam cedrum.] I have ob- 
served already, in the note on book 
ii. ver. 433. that the cedar of the 
Greek and Roman writers is not 
the cedar of Lebanon, but a sort of 
Juniper. Thus May translates this 
passage : 

But learne to burne within thy sheltering 

roomes 
Sweet Juniper. 

This tree was accounted good to 
drive away serpents with its smoke. 
Palladium says that serpents are 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



317 



Galbaneoque agitare graves nidore clielydros. 
Saepe sub immotis praesepibus aut mala tactu 



and to drive away the stink- 
ing chciydri with the strong 
smell of galbanum. Often 
under the neglected mangers 
either the 



driven away by burning cedar, or 
galbanum, or women's hair, or 
hart's horns : " Propter serpentes, 
" qui plerumque sub praesepibus 
u latent, cedrum, vel galbanum, 
" vel mulieris *apillos, aut cervina 
" cornua frequenter uramus." 

415. Galbaneo nidore.] Galbanum 
is the concreted juice of a plant 
called Ferula. It is probably taken 
from more than one species. Her- 
man, in his Paradisus Batavus. has 
given us a figure and description of 
a plant, under the name of Ferula 
Africana Galbanifera, ligustici foliis 
et facie, which being wounded 
yields a juice in all respects agree- 
ing with the Galbanum. " Acredine 
" aromatica sat penetranti gustan- 
f. tium linguam perstringit. Sau- 
u ciata lac fund it viscid um sed di- 
•' lutius et paucum, in lachrymam 
" Galbano omnibus notis respon- 
<c dentem concrescens. E trimuli 
tf quadrimulive caulis geniculis sua 
tf sponte nonnunquam emanat." 
Dioscorides says it is the juice of a 
sort of Ferula, growing in Syria, 
that it has a strong smell, and 
drives away serpents with its fume ; 
XxXGctni ottos \?h Neifivixog iv ILvqiu, 

yivvoftivov 00-f.iYi fiupuot, 

3?ig/<8i ts Svftiuftiwi 'htux.ii. Pliny has 
almost the same words : " Dat et 
** Galbanum Syria in eodem Amano 
" monte e ferula .... Sincerum si 
t( uratur, fugat nidore serpentes." 
Columella also recommends the 
smoke of Galbanum, to drive away 
serpents: "Cavendumque ne a ser- 
'• pentibus adflentur, quarum odor 
*f tam pestilens est, ut interimat 
" universes: id vitatur saepius in- 
xt censo cornu cervino, vel galbano 
" vel muliebricapillo; quorum onir 



" nium fere nidoribus prsedicta 
" pestis submovetur." 

Graves.'] Servius reads gravi, 
making it agree with galbaneo ni- 
dore; which is not amiss: lor the 
smell of galbanum is very strong. 
But the ancient manuscripts have 
graves, which is generally admitted 
by the editors. And indeed this is 
a propher epithet for the chelydri, 
on account of their offensive smell, 
as will be seen in the next note. 

Clielydros.] In the King's manu* 
script it is chel'mdros. 

S. Isidore makes the chelydros 
and chersydros to be the same : 
" Chelydros serpens, qui et chersy- 
'* dros dicitur, qui et in aquis et in 
" terris moratur." But the chersy- 
dros is described by our Poet ten 
lines below. Lucan also makes 
the chersydrus and chelydrus two 
different sorts of serpents : 

Natus et ambiguae coleret qui Syrtidos 
arva 

Chersydros, tractique via fumante che- 
lydri. 

The Chelydrus seems to be that sort 
of serpent, of which we find fre- 
quent mention among the Greek 
writers under the name of drives. 
Nicander says the dryinus is called 
also hydrus and chelydrus, and that 
it has a strong smell. Galen says 
the bite of them is very venomous, 
and the smell so very offensive, that 
it causes those who attempt to de- 
stroy them, to think the most 
agreeable smells stinking. iEtius 
says this serpent stinks so griev- 
ously, as even to discover the place 
where it lurks. Thus we see that 
Virgil might well give these ser- 
pents the epithet graves. 

416. Sub immotis prasepibus.] 



18 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



▼iper of dangerous touch con- 
ceals itself, and affrighted 
flies the light ; or that snake, 
the dreadful plague of kine, 
which uses to creep into houses 
and shady places, and spread 
his venom on the cattle, keeps 
close to the ground; be quick 
■with stones, shepherd; be 
quick with clubs j 



Vipera delituit, caelumque exterrita fugit : 
Aut tecto adsuetus coluber succedere et umbrae, 
Pestis acerba boum, pecorique adspergere virus, 
Fovit humum. Cape saxa manu : cape robora, 
pastor, 4-20 



Pierius says it is ignotis in the Ro- 
man manuscript^ but he justly 
prefers immoiis. 

Columella recommends in a par- 
ticular manner the diligent sweep- 
ing and cleansing of thesheepcotes, 
not only to free them from mud and 
dung, but also from noxious ser- 
pents: " Stabula vero frequenter 
" everrenda, et purganda, humor- 
tc que omnis urinae deverrendus 
" est, qui commodissime siccatur 
<c perforatis tabulis, quibus ovilia 
" consternuntur, ut grex super- 
" cubet : nee tantum cceno aut 
61 stercore, sedexitiosis quoque ser- 
" pentibus tecta liberentur." Jm- 
motis therefore in this place means 
such places as have not been duly 
swept and cleansed. 

417- Vipera.] Servius thinks that 
the vipera is so called quod vi pariat ; 
others, with better reason, think it 
is so called quod vivum pariat. And 
indeed this animal differs from most 
other serpents, in bringing forth 
its young alive; whereas the rest 
lay eggs. It is known in England 
under the name of viper or adder. 
The bite of it is very venomous; 
though it seldom, if ever, proves 
mortal in our climate. The most 
immediate remedy for this bite is 
found to be olive oil applied in- 
stantly to the injured part. See 
Phil. Trans, no. 443. p. 313. and no. 
444. p. 394. 

418. Coluber pestis acerba 

boum.] I take the serpent here 
meant, to be that which Pliny 
calls boas. This author affirms that 
they grow sometimes to a prodi- 



gious bigness, and that there was 
a child found in the belly of one 
of them, in the reign of Claudius. 
He adds, that they feed on cow's 
milk, whence they have obtained 
their name. The words of Pliny 
are quoted in the note on book ii. 
ver. 374. 

420. Fovit.] Pierius says it is 
fodit in some ancient manuscripts. 
Foveo properly signifies to foment, 
cherish, or embrace. In the twelfth 
iEueid it is used to express the 
fomenting of a wound : 

Fovit ea vulnus lympha longasvus lapis. 

In the second Georgick, it is used 
for chewing medicinally: 

. Animos et olentia Medi 



Ora fovent illo. 

In the fourth Georgick it is used 
for holding water in the mouth till 
it is warm : 

Prius hanstu sparsus aqaarum 

Ora fove. 

In the first iEneid, it is used for 
embracing : 

Haec oculis, hsec pectore toto 

Haeret et interdum gremio fovet; 

And in the eighth : 



. Niveis hinc atque hinc Dira 

lacertis 
Cunctantem amplexu molli fovet. 

Hence it signifies the assiduous 
attendance of a lover on his mis- 
tress, in the third Eclogue : 

. Ipse Neaeram 

Dum fovet. 



GEORG. LIB. Ill, 



319 



Tollentemque minas et sibila colla tumentem 
Dejice: jamquefuga timidum caput abdidit alte, 
Cum medii nexus, extremaeque agmina caudae 
Solvuntur, tardosque trahit sinus ultimus orbes. 
Est etiam ille malus Calabris in saltibus anguis, 
Squamea convolvers sublato pectore terga, 426 
Atque notis longum maculosus grandibus alvum : 
Qui dum amnes ulli rumpuntur fontibus, et dum 
Vere madent udo terrae, ac pluvialibus austris, 
Stagna colit,ripisque habitans, hie piscibus atram 
Improbus ingluviem ranisque loquacibus explet. 
Postquam exusta palus, terraeque ardore dehis- 
cunt, 432 



and, whilst he rues threat- 
ening, and swells his hissing 
neck, knock him down : and 
now he is fled, and hides his 
fearful head ; and his middle 
folds, and the last wreaths of 
his tail are extended, and hi* 
utmost spires are slowly drag- 
ged along. There is also that 
grievous snake in the Cala- 
brian lawns, raising his breast, 
and waving his scaly back, 
and having his long belly 
marked with large spots, 
who, so long as any rivers 
burst from their springs, and 
whilst the lands are moist 
with the dewy spring and 
rainy south winds, frequents 
the pools, and making his 
habitation in the banks, gree- 
dily crams his horrid maw 
with fishes and loquacious 
frogs. But after the fen » 
burnt up, and the earth gapes 
with heat, 



Thus also, in the ninth ^Eneid, it 
signifies the keeping close of an 
army within their trenches : 



Non obvia ferre 



Arma viros ; sed castra fovere. 

In much the same sense it seems 
to be used here, for a serpent's 
keeping close to the ground, under 
the muck of an un cleansed sheep- 
cote. Besides it is usual for ser- 
pents to lay their eggs under dung, 
in order to be hatched. 

Cape saxa manu.~\ The rapidity 
of this verse finely expresses the 
necessary haste on this occasion, to 
catch up stones and sticks to en- 
counter the serpent. This is one 
of the many beautiful passages, 
which Vida has selected from our 
poet : 

At mora si fuerit damno, properare ju- 

bebo. 
Si se forte cava extulerit male vipera 

terra 
Tolle moras, cape saxa manu, cape ro- 

bora pastor ; 
Ferte citi flammas, date tela, repellite 

pestem. 

422. Timidum.'] It is tumidum in 
the Bodleian manuscript, in the old 



Nurenberg edition, and in the 
Venice edition of 1475. 

425. Est etiam ille malus, &c.} It 
is universally agreed, that the Poet 
here describes the Chersydrus, which 
is so called from %t£<ro$ earth, and 
vhu^ water, because it lives in both 
these elements. The form and na- 
ture of this serpent are no where 
so well described, as in this passage 
of our Poet. 

428. Ulli.~] It is ullis in the 
King's manuscript. 

431. Explet r\ Pierius says it is 
implet in many of the ancient manu- 
scripts. 

432. Exusta."] It is generally 
read exhausta. Pierius found exusta 
in the oblong, the Lombard, and 
some other ancient copies. It is 
exusta in the Bodleian manuscript, 
and in several of the oldest edi- 
tions. Heinsius also, and after him 
Masvicius read exusta. I believe 
that Virgil wrote exusta, and that 
his transcribers have altered it to 
exhausta, imagining it to be suf- 
ficient to say the fens are exhausted, 
those watery places not being easily 
burnt up. But whosoever is con- 
versant in fenny countries, must 



320 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



he leaps on the dry ground, 
and rolling his flaminp eyes 
rages in the fields, being ex- 
asperated bv thirst, and ter- 
rified with the heat. May I 
never at such a time indulge 
myself in sleeping in the open 
air, or lie upon the grass on 
the edge of a wood ; when 
renewed by casting its slough, 
and glittering with youth, it 
leaves its young one's or eggs 
at home, and slides along, 
raising itself up to the sun, 
and brandishes its three- 
forked tongue. I will also 
teach you the causes and 
signs of their diseases, The 
filthy scab afflicts the sheep, 
when a cold rain, 



Exilit in siccunij et flammantia lumina torcpcns 
Saevit agris, asperque siti atque exterritus aestu. 
Ne mihi turn molles sub dio carpere somnos, 435 
Neu clorso nemoris libcat jacuisse per herbas : 
Cum positis novus exuviis nitidusque juventa 
Volvitur, aut catulos tectis aut ova relinquens, 
Arduus ad solem et Unguis micat ore trisulcis. 
Morborum quoque te causas et signa docebo. 
Turpis oves tentat scabies, ubi frigid us imber 



know that in dry seasons no lands 
are more scorched up than the fens. 
In the first Georgick we have, 

Et cum exustus ager morientibus aestuat 
herbis. 

This whole 432d verse is wanting 
in one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 

433. Exilit.'] Pierius says it is 
exiit in the Lombard and Medicean 
manuscripts. I find the same read- 
ing in on* of the Arnndelian and 
in one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 
But exilit is generally received. 

Torqtiens.~\ It is Unquens in the 
King's manuscripts : et also is there 
wanting between siccum and flam- 
mantia. 

434. Exterritus .] Fulvius Ur- 
sinus says it is exercitus in the old 
Colotian manuscript, which is no 
inelegant reading. 

435. Ne.] It is nee in one of the 
Arundelian and in one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts, and in an old quarto 
edition printed at Paris in 1494. 

Dio.] It is divo in the King's, the 
Bodleian, one of the Arundelian, 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts, 
and in several of the old editions. 
In the other Arundelian copy it 
is clivo. 

437-] In one of the Arundelian 
manuscripts, after this verse, follows 

Lufoica convolvens sulluio pcelore terga, 



which is a repetition of ver. 426. 
there being only lubrica put for 
squamea. 

The Poet now describes the dis* 
eases, to which sheep are subject. 

441. Turpis oves tentat scabies] 
Columella observes, that no ani- 
mal is so subject to the scab as 
sheep. He adds, that it usually 
arises on their being injured by 
cold rain or frost; or after shear- 
ing, if they are not well washed, or 
if they are permitted to feed in 
woody places, where they are 
wounded with brambles and briars; 
or if they are folded where mules, 
or horses, or asses have stabled ; 
or if they are lean for want of suf- 
ficient pasture, than which nothing 
sooner brings the scab. " Oves 
" frequentius, quani ullum aliud 
" animal infestantur scabie, quae 
" fere nascitur, sicut noster me- 
" morat poeta, 



Cum frigidus imber 



" Altius ad vivum persedit, et horrida 

" cano 
" Bruma gelu : 

" vel post tonsuram, si remedium 
ie praedicti medicaminis non adhi- 
' c beas, si aestivum sudorem mari, 
" vel flumine non abluas, si tonsum 
" gregem patiaris sylvestribus ru- 
" bis, ac spinis sauciari : si stabulo 
" utaris, in quo mula?, aut equi, aut 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



351 



Altius ad vivum persedit, et horrida cano 442 
Bruma gelu ; vel cum tonsis illotus adhaesit 
Sudor, et hirsuti secuerunt corpora vepres. 
Dulcibus idcirco fluviis pecus omne magistri 
Perfundunt, udisque aries in gurgite villis 446 
Mersatur, missusque secundo defluit amni. 
Aut tonsum tristi contingunt corpus amurca, 



and winter stiff with hoary 
frost, have pierced them to 
the quick : or when their 
sweat not being washed off 
after shearing has stuck to 
them, and rough thorns have 
torn their bodies. On this 
account the shepherds wash 
all their cattle in sweet ri- 
vers, and the ram is plunged 
in the river, and sent to float 
a:ong the stream. Or else 
they anoint their shorn bodies 
with bitter lees of oil, 



(e asini steterunt : praecipue tamen 
" exiguitas cibi maciem, macies 
** autem scabiem facit." 

Ubi.2 Pierius says it is cum in 
the Roman manuscript. 

445. Dulcibus idcirco fluviis, &c.] 
Columella says, that a sheep, as 
soon as it is sheared, should be 
anointed with a mixture of the 
juice of lupines, the lees of old 
wine, and the dregs of oil in equal 
quantities; and be washed four 
days afterwards in the sea, or in 
rain water salted: and quotes the au- 
thority of Celsus, who affirms that 
a sheep treated after this manner 
will be free from the scab for a 
whole year; and that the wool 
will be the longer and softer for 
it. " Verum ca quandocunque de- 
* tonsa fuerit, ungi debet tali me- 
" dicamine, succus excocti lupini, 
t( veterisque vini faex, et amurca 
" pari men sura miscentur, eoque 
<e liquamine tonsa ovis imbuitur, 
•* atque ubi per triduum delibato 
tf tergore medicamina perbiberit, 
<( quarto die, si est vicinia maris, 
' ' ad littus deducta mersatur : si 
w minus est, caelestis aqua sub dio 
u salibus in hunc usum durata 
" paulum decoquitur ; eaque grex 
" perluitur. Hoc modo curatum 
" pecus anno scabrum fieri non 
" posse Celsus affirmat, nee dubium 
" est, quin etiam ob earn rem lana 
" quoque mollior atque prolixior 
<( renascatur." Thus Columella re- 
commends the salt water as a pre- 



servative "against the scab; but 
Virgil advises the use of sweet 
river water, as a cure after the 
distemper has seized them. 

448. Aut tonsum tristi, &c] We 
have seen already in the preceding 
note, the composition which Colu- 
mella prescribes against the scab. 
The same author adds Hellebore to 
his liniment, when it is to be applied 
to a sheep in which the disease is 
already begun : ' e Facit autem com- 
" mode primum ea compositio, 
" quam paulo ante demonstravi- 
*• mus, si ad faecem et amurcam, 
" succurrque decocti lupini misceas 
'« portione aequa detritum album 
n Elleborum." It must be allowed 
that the ointment which Virgil here 
describes is an excellent composi- 
tion. 

Amurca.] The lees of oil are 
much in use in Italy, and other 
countries where oil is made. We 
find it recommended by Cato for 
many purposes. We find the vir- 
tues of it collected by Dioscorides. 
It is, says he, the dregs of oil. Be- 
ing boiled in a copper vessel to the 
consistence of honey, it is astrin- 
gent, and has the other effects of Ly- 
cium. It is applied to the tooth- 
ache and to wounds with vinegar 
and wine : it is added to medicines 
for the eyes, and to those which 
obstruct the pores. It is the better 
for being old. It is applied with 
success to ulcers of the anus and 
pudenda. If it is boiled again with 
2 T 



322 



P. VIRGILI1 MARONIS 



SjhS?,£di5En"puc?23 Etspumas miscent argenti, vivaque sulphura, 

fatwax,andsquill,andstrong TJ • • . . ' 

hellebore, and black wtu- Idaeasque pices, et pingues unguine ceras, 450 
Scillamque, Helleborosque graves, nigrumque 
bitumen. 



verjuice to the consistence of honey 
it draws out rotten teeth. It heals 
the scab in cattle, being made into 
a liniment with the decoction of 
lupines and chamaeleon. It is of 
great service to anoint the gout and 
pains of the joints with dregs of 
oil. A skin with the hair on 
smeared with it, and applied to the 
dropsy, diminishes the swelling : 
AfAo^yn, v7r6<rTci$pi'/i vrrh \Xxixg rm bc- 
&XiQoftzvYi$. q rig tyr&iio-x Iv ys&X'xJn xv~ 

7Tg/&» f6iX(>l (AiXlTCO^OVg G-VG-rdtrias, FTVtyit. 

•aroiovo-x ■srgog x xxi to Xvxtov. lx7n^io-crov 
oi xxi zrpo? ooovlxXyixg xxi rpxi/uxlx. 

im^ld (AZV'A fMT 0%0Vg H OIVOV Yl OUtOftiXl- 

rog. fttyvvleti (& xxi offixXpuxxig o*vvx- 

fAZFl Xxi Zp.TVXXO'TlXxig. -ZoClXcClOVUll/) T£ 

fizXriav yinrxi. zyxXvo-ftx rz zd(>x xxi 
xidoia xxi ^rpxig ziXxuftivxig sVri %%A- 
crifAoq. IxQxXXzi 21 xxi rovg zffix^f&zvovg 
edovlxg <rvv optyxxim z^B-zTo-x ##§< f«£- 
Xireo^ovg <rv<£\x<rzag, xxi ■z?ip j nrXa.o~bu<rx. 
"fytapxg rz xrnwv <rvv S-zgfiM atpz-fyyipxri 

XXI %XUXlXZ0VT0g XXTX^IO^ZVY) §ZPX7CZVZl. 

j* £g xvzfynrog xxi zipoo-tyxrog srohxy^ixovg 
xxi x^&^rixovg eotyiXzi. §zpjav\ xxrxvrXn- 
Gu<rx ly^tofAivvi oi zig xadiov xxi iTriQtft&vq 
Z7ri raiv vbpo7tixw, o-lzXXzi rov oyxov. 

449- Spumas argenti.] Some have 
supposed the poet to mean quick- 
silver, grounding their opinion on 
the following passage of Calpur- 
nius : 

-Vivi quoque pondere melle 



Argenti coquito. 

But quicksilver was never called 
spuma argenti, by which name the 
ancients seem to understand what 
we call litharge. It arises in the 
purification of silver, as is plainly 
enough described by Pliny : " Fit 



" in iisdem Metalliset quaevocatur 
" Spuma argenti. Genera ejus tria 
<e .... Omnisautem fit excocta sua 
" materia ex superioricatino deflu- 
" ens in inferiorem, et ex eo sub- 
u lata veruculis ferreis, atque in 
<e ipsa flamma con voluta veruculo, 
" ut sit modici ponderis. Est au- 
" tern, ut ex nomine ipso intelligi 
" potest, fervescentis et futurae ma- 
" teriae spuma. Distat a scoria, 
" quo potest spuma a faece distare. 
" Alterum purgantis se materiae, 
" alterum purgatae vitium est." 

Vivaque sulpliura.] So Servius and 
most of the commentators agree 
that it should be read. Pierius 
found et sulphura viva in the Ro- 
man, Medicean, and Lombard ma- 
nuscripts. I find the same reading 
in the King's, the Cambridge, the 
Bodleian, and in both the Arunde- 
lian manuscripts. It is ac sulphura 
viva in one of Dr. Mead's manu- 
scripts, and in several of the oldest 
printed editions. 

Sulphur is without doubt a good 
ingredient in this composition. 

450. Idccasque pices.'] Pitch is 
called Idaean, because pitch-trees 
abound on mount Ida. Pitch is of 
two sorts, arida or sicca, which we 
call properly pitch; and liquida, 
which we call iar. I believe it is 
the pix liquida or tar, which the 
poet means. Pliny says it is an ex- 
cellent remedy for the scab in 
cattle : " Praestantissimum ad ca- 
ie num et jumentorum scabiem." 

Ceras.] Wax seems to be added 
chiefly to give to the medicine the 
consistence of an ointment. 

451. Scillam.] The squill or sea 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



313 



Non tamen ulla magis prsesens fortuna laborum Jcfrf^to^y^S^m." 

a. the distemper increases, and 

CSt 3 gains strength by being co- 

-. . _ . . .. vered; whilst the shepherd 

l^uam si quis rerro potuit rescindere summum refuses to apply his healing 

x l hands to the wound, 

Ulceris os : alitur vitium, vivitque tegendo ; 454 
Dum medicas adhibere manus ad vulnera pastor 



onion is a bulbous root, like an 
onion, but much larger. It is 
brought to us from Spain. 

Helleborosque graves.] There are 
two kinds of Hellebore, the black 
and the white. I take it to be the 
white Hellebore, that Virgil means. 
Columella expressly mentions the 
white Hellebore, as we have seen 
already in the quotation from that 
author, in the note on ver. 448. 
Dioscorides however ascribes the 
power of curing this sort of diseases 
to the black Hellebore : ®t£etmvu 

xeti zri'crcrvis xxi Kidgtvov IXoclov xotTU%£io- 
pmg. The white Hellebore is 
known to be serviceable in diseases 
of the skin, if it be externally ap- 
plied; but it is too rough to be 
taken inwardly, as the black sort is. 
Hence perhaps Virgil added the 
epithet graves, to express the white 
Hellebore. 

Bitumen.] Bitumen, or, as the 
Greeks called \t,Asphaltus, is a fat, 
sulphureous, tenaceous, inflamma- 
ble substance, issuing out of the 
earth or floating upon water, as at 
Pitchford in Shropshire, and in the 
island Barbadoes in America, whence 
it is brought hither under the name 
of Barbadoes tar. Sometimes it is 
found hardened into a substance 
like pitch. The most esteemed is 
that which is found in Judaea, and 
is called Bitumen Judaicum, or Jews- 
pitch. This is seldom if ever 
brought hither : what is generally 
sold for it being little different from 
common pitch. Pliny mentions a 
mixture of bitumen and pitch as 



good for the scab in sheep: "Est 
" et Pissasphaltos, mixta bitumini 
** pice, naturaliter ex Apollionata- 
<e rum agro. Quidam ipsi miscent, 
" praecipuum ad scabiem pecorum 
" remedium." 

452. Non tamen ulla, &c] It has 
not without reason been said by the 
writers of Virgil's life, that our 
poet had studied physic. The 
respect with which he mentions 
the physician lapis, and the many 
medicines occasionally mentioned 
in his works, greatly favour this 
tradition. He has just mentioned 
an ointment, compounded with 
greater skill, and described with 
greater propriety of expression, 
than any that we meet with in the 
other writers of agriculture. He 
now adds with much judgment that 
no application is of so much service, 
as to lay open the ulcer, and give 
a free discharge to the corroding 
matter. 

453. Rescindere.] It properly sig- 
nifies to open ; in which sense it is 
used also in the twelfth iEneid : 

Ense secent lato vulnus, telique late- 

bram 
Rescindant penitus. 

In the same manner it seems to 
have been used by Lucretius : 

Proptereaque solere vias rescindere nos- 

tris 
Sensibus. 

454. Alitur vitium, vivitque te* 
gendo7\ Thus also Lucretius : 

Ulcus enim vivescit, et inveterascit 
alendo. 
2 T 2 



32* 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and sitting still begs the 
Gods to assist him. Moreover 
when the pain, reaching to 
the very bones of the bleating 
sheep, rages, and a parching 
fever consumes their limbs, it 
has been of service to avert 
the kindled heat, and pierce 
the vein spouting with blood 
between the under parts of 
the foot ; ju-t as the Bisaltae 
use, and the fierce Gelonian, 
when he flies to Rhodope, and 
to the deserts of the Getae, 
and drinks milk mixed with 
horse's blood. If you ever 
see one of your sheep stand 
at a distance, or often creep 
under the mild shade, or 
lazily crop the ends of the 
grass, or lag behind the rest, 
or lie down, as she is feeding, 
in the middle of the plain, 
and return alone late at night ; 
immediately cut off the faulty 
sheep, 



Abnegat, aut meliora Deos sedet omnia poscens. 
Quin etiam ima dolor baiantum lapsus ad ossa 
Cum furit, atque artus depascitur arida febris ; 
Profuit incensos aestus avertere, et inter 
Ima ferire pedis salientem sanguine venam : 460 
Bisaltse quo more solent, acerque Gelonus, 
Cum fugit in Rhodopen, atque in deserta 

Getarum, 
Et lac concretum cum sanguine potat equino. 
Quam procul aut molli succedere saepius um- 
brae, 
Videris, aut summas carpentem ignavius berbas, 
Extremamque sequi, aut medio procumbere 
campo 466 

Pascentem, et serae solam decedere nocti ; 
Contjnuo culpam ferro compesce, prius quam 



456. Et.'] Pierius says it is aut In 
the Roman manuscript. 

Omnia.'] It is omina in the Ro- 
man manuscript, according to Pie- 
rius. It is omina also in the Ve- 
nice edition in fol. 1475. La Cerda 
reads omina. 

46*1. Bisaltce.] The Bisaltce were 
a people of Macedon. 

Gelonus.] See bookii. ver. 115. 

462. Rhodopen.] Rhodope is a 
mountain of Thrace, 

Getarum.] The Getce or Dacians 
dwelt near the Danube. 

463. Lac concretum cum sanguine 
potat equina.] This custom of 
drinking milk and horse's blood 
is ascribed to the Massagetse, a peo- 
ple of Scythia, by Dionysius. 

Tows Ti pir awroXiw }$, vrigqv xiXahovres 

'Agct^eu 
TAa.gffa.yira.1 vaiavffi, &oun> purygts ei'trjav. 
'Av££6f els fi'/ir air os iyu, f&nB-' off]is ira.~go$ 
' ' E[A9CtX«.iroc,t' fjcocXa. yw(> <r\ Ka,xo%iu'ari£ot 

aXXoov 
Ov yo\^ <r<p)v ffiroio [AtXttp^ovos is"<v i$w$y), 
ObTt f*h evl' elves pireihrifttoi. «XX» yug 



A'/pan fiio-yevjis ktvxoy ycckec, ^ouret ti- 

SgVTflW. 

Pliny mentions the Sarmata as mix- 
ing millet with the milk of mares, 
or the blood drawn out of their legs : 
<f Sarmatarum quoque gentes hae 
" maxime pulte aluntur, et cruda 
" etiam farina equino lacte vel san- 
<c guine e cruris venis admixto." 
The same is said by other authors, 
of different nations inhabiting those 
parts. 

464. Aui.] It is ut in the King's 
manuscript. 

Succedere.] In one of the Arunde- 
lian manuscripts it is succumbere. 

Scepiusr] In the King's manu- 
script it is mollius. 

465. Ignavius.] Pierius found 
segnius in the Roman manuscript. 

467. Et.] The conjunction is 
omitted in one of Dr. Mead's manu- 
scripts. 

Serce nocti.] Pierius says it is 
sera node in the ancient manu- 
scripts. 

468. Continuo culpam ferro com* 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



325 



before the dreadful contagion 
spreads itself over the un- 

_ T , , wary flock. The whirlwind 

Non tarn creber agens nyemem ruit aequore which brings on a storm, 



Dira per incautum serpant contagia vulgus. 



turbo, 



470 



pesce.] Most of the printed editions, 
and all the manuscripts which I 
have collated, have continuo ferro 
culpam, which seems very unhar- 
monious. Servius reads continuo cul- 
pam ferro, which order of the words 
Pierius also found in the Roman, 
the Medicean, and other very an- 
cient manuscripts. I have found 
the same order in two old editions 
in folio, printed at Venice in 1475 
and 1476, and in an old edition of 
the Georgicks in octavo, printed at 
Paris in 1495. The same is ad- 
mitted also by La Cerda and Hein- 
sius. 

Servius interprets culpam ferro 
compesce to mean, that the shepherd 
by killing an infected sheep avoids 
being guilty himself of a crime, in 
suffering it to live to the damage 
of the whole flock : " Atqui habere 
" morbum culpa non est : sed hoc 
" dicil, occidendo earn, tuam cul- 
" pam compesce, id est, vita cri- 
" men in quod potes incidere, si, 
" dum uni parcis, fuerit totus grex 
" ejus contagione corruptus." Gri- 
moaldus is of the same opinion: 
<( Haec inquam signa et indicia, 
" quae febrim solent antecedere, si- 
" mul atque perceperis, crimen vi- 
" tabis, in quod poteris incidere, si 
" dum uni parcis, fuerit totus grex 
'"■ ejus contagione corruptus/' La 
Cerda gives the same interpretation : 
" Illud culpam ferro compesce refer- 
" tur ad earn culpam, quae reside- 
" bit in pastore, nisi utatur ferro." 
Ruaeus seems to think that by cul- 
pam is meant the disease of the 
sheep : " hujus morbum coerce sta- 
" tim ferro." But Virgil is not here 
speaking of any partial disease, 
which might be restrained by being 



cut out, but of a general disorder 
which spreads itself over the whole 
body, making the sheep loath its 
food, and lag heavily behind the 
flock. I am persuaded therefore, 
that by culpam he means the in- 
fected sheep, and by ferro compesce, 
that it should be killed, to prevent 
the contagion from spreading. 
Thus in the second Georgick, he 
uses ramos compesce, to express the 
pruning of trees, to hinder the too 
luxuriant spreadingof the branches: 

■ Turn denique dura 



Exerce imperia, et ramos compesce flu- 

entes. 

All the translators have concurred 
in understanding culpam compesce $ 
to be meant of killing the sheep. 
Thus May : 



Straight kill that sheepe 



Before th' infection through th' whole 
flocke doe creepe : 

And Dryden : 

Revenge the crime, and take the traitor's 
head, 

E'er in the faultless flock the dire con- 
tagion spread : 

And Dr. Trapp : 

Delay not, kill th' infected ; e'er thro' all 
Th' unwary flock the dire contagion 
spread. 

470. Non tarn creber agens, &c] 
After these diseases, to which the 
sheep are subject, our Poet adds 
that the distempers of cattle are 
innumerable. Hence he takes oc- 
casion to speak of a great plague, 
by which all the country about the 
Alps was laid waste. 

" The words agens hyemem," says 
Dr. Trapp, u are commonly ex- 



326 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and rushes upon the main, is 
notso frequent, as the plagues 
of cattle are many ; nor do 
these diseases prey on single 
bodies, but sweep off whole 
folds on a sudden, both lambs 
and sheep, and the whole 
flock, entirely. This any one 
may know, who sees the lofty 
Alps, and the Noric castles on 
the hills, and the fields of 
lapidian Timavus, and the 
realms of the shepherds even 
now after so long a time de- 
serted, and the lawns lying 
•waste far and wide. Here 
formerly a most miserable 
plague arose by the corruption 
of the air, 



Quam multae pecudum pestes: nee singula morbi 
Corpora corripiunt ; sed tota aestiva repente, 
Spemque gregemque simul, cunctamque ab 

origine gentem. 
Turn sciat, aerias Alpes, et Norica siquis 
Castella in tumulis, et Iapidis arva Timavi, 475 
Nunc quoque post tanto videat desertaque regna 
Pastor um, et longe salt us lateque vacantes. 
Hie quondam morbo caeli miseranda coorta est 



" plained by tempestatem Jerens. 
" And then it should be rendered 
" not in but before a storm. But 
" I rather understand it, agens for 
* c agitans hijemem, or aerem in 
" hyeme, \. e. procella. Surely a 
" multitude of whirlwinds do not 
" precede a storm ; but are them- 
" selves one, or at least parts of 
'* one." 

I do not think that creber agens 
hyemem turbo is to be understood to 
mean, that many whirlwinds pre- 
cede one single storm, but that the 
sea is tossed by many whirlwinds, 
each of which precedes a storm. 
That a violent storm is usually 
preceded by a whirlwind is most 
certain : therefore to enter into a 
debate,, whether the whirlwind is 
to be accounted a forerunner of a 
storm, or a part of the storm itself, 
would be a mere logomachy. 

471. Quam multce pecudum pestes.] 
The Poet cannot mean that pesti- 
lences or murrains are as common 
among the cattle, as storms on the 
sea. Pestis is a more general word, 
and includes all the several great 
misfortunes that attend them. Tims 
a little before, he calls a serpent 
Pestis acerba bourn. 

472. /Estiva.'] " /Estiva are the 
" shady places, in which the cattle 
" avoid the heat of the sun in sum- 
<e mer; thus Statius : 



" Et turibrosi patucre cestiva Lyccei." 

Servius. 

473. Spemque gregemque. - ] Ser- 
vius interprets this, agnos cum ma- 
tribus, which is generally received. 

474. Turn sciat, &e.] " The sense 
" is this, if any one knows what 
" sort of places these were, when 
" they were full of cattle, he may 
" now see them empty, though it 
Ci is a long time since the pesti- 
" lence." Servius. 

Aerias Alpes.] The Alps are 
called aerice, from their great 
height : they divide Italy from 
France and Germany. 

Norica.~\ Noricum was a region 
of Germany, bordering on the Alps, 
Great part of it is what we now 
call Bavaria. 

Iapidis arva Timavi.] Some read 
Iapygis; but Iapygia was a part of 
the kingdom of Naples, far distant 
from the Alps, of which Virgil is 
here speaking. Iapidis is certainly 
the true meaning : for lapidia was 
in the Venetian territory, where 
the river Timavus flows. This part 
of Italy is now called Friuli. 

Schrevelius and Masvicius read 
arm a instead of arva. 

Timavus is a river of Carniola : 
it is now called Timavo. 

478. Hie] It is hinc in one of 
the Arundelian manuscripts. 

Virgil is generally thought to 



GEORG. LIB. III. 327 

Tempestas, totoque autumni incanduit aestu, Sat 5 lutumn° URh a11 the 



speak in this place of the plague 
which broke out in Attica, in the 
first year of the Peloponnesian war, 
which has been so accurately de- 
scribed by Hippocrates, Thucydides, 
and Lucretius. This last author, 
whom our Poet seems to emulate, 
derives this plague from Egypt : 

Haec ratio quondam morborum, et mor- 

tifer ajstas 
Finibu' Cecropiis funestos reddidit agros, 
Vastavitque vias, exhausit civibus urbem. 
Nam penitus veniens iEgypti e finibus 

ortus, 
Aera permensus multum, camposque 

natantes, 
Incubuit tandem populo Pandionis: 

omnes 
Inde catervatim morbo mortique daban- 

tur. 

A plague thus rais y d, laid learned Athens 

•waste ; 
Thro' ev\y street, thro' all the town it 

passed, 
Blasting both man and least with poisonous 

wind : 
Death fled before, and ruin staWd behind. 
From Egypt's burning sands the fever 

came, 
More hot than those that rais'd the deadly 

flume. 
At length the raging plague did Athens 

seize, 
The plague ; and death attending the dis- 
ease. 
Tlxen men did die by heaps, by heaps did 

fall, 
And the whole city made one funeral. 

Creech. 

But Thucydides says it began first 
in that part of Ethiopia, which bor- 
ders upon Egypt, then it fell upon 
Egypt and Libya, and into the 
greatest part of the Persian terri- 
tories ; and then it suddenly in- 
vaded the city of Athens : *Hg£«™ 

Ti to fClf zr^arov, ag xiyirect, i% A&io- 
wets tk vnrcg AiyvKTOv, stthtos, 9e xeci 
U Alyvierw Kdi AtQvqv xxt£yi, xki % 
TW Boto-tXzag yqv rm zroXXw. k $i tw 
'A&qro/w ztoMv i$6fxtvoc,ia>s Wzmrt. But 



Virgil seems to make his pestilence 
much more ancient than that of 
Athens, for he mentions Chiron, 
who lived at least five hundred 
years before Plippocrates, who flou- 
rished about the beginning of the 
Peloponnesian war. Besides, Thu- 
cydides mentions the plague' of 
which he speaks, as not proceeding 
even to the Morea; but depopu- 
lating only Athens, and the most 
populous cities in that neighbour- 
hood : Ku: \$ ftlv IItXo7rovwirov ewe 

£7r?AS-gv, o, Tt xxi U%MV i'tTTiiv, sVsVg/^flST* 
2s 'A&jsws f>iiV {tOtXlfet, &7TilTeC OS XOCi TO>V 

ciXhwv %6jptav tc& ■zirtXvctvS'gWTroTeCTot. It 
does not seem therefore, that this 
pestilence invaded the Alpine coun- 
tries, which were not so very popu- 
lous, abounding only with large 
pastures. However, as Virgil no 
doubt had some view to the pesti- 
lence described by Thucydides and 
Lucretius, I shall lay the parallel 
places in those authors before the 
reader. 

479- Totoque autumni incanduit 
astu.] Servius interprets this, " It 
" burnt in the first part of the au- 
ec tumn, which always makes a 
" pestilence grievous." In this he 
is followed by Grimoaldus, La 
Cerda, and almost all the commen- 
tators. In this sense May translates 
it: 

Hence by corruption of the ayre so 

strong 
A plague arose, and rag'd all autumne 

long: 

And Dryden : 

During th' autumnal heats th' infection 
grew. 

Dr. Trapp seems to understand the 
Poet to mean that the plague raged 
with such heat, as is usual in au- 
tumn : 



328 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and destroyed all kinds of 
cattle, all kinds of wild beasts, 
and poisoned the lakes, and 
infected the pasture* with its 
venom. Nor didthey die after 
the common manner, but 
when the burning drought 
insinuating itself into all the 
veins had contracted the mi- 
serable limbs, the corrupted 
moisture oozed out, and con- 
verted all the tainted bones 
into its substance. Often- 
times, in the midst of a sacri- 
fice to the gods, 



Et genus omne neci pecudum dedit, omne 

ferarum ; 480 

Corrupitque lacus : infecit pabula tabo. 
Nee via mortis erat simplex : sed ubi ignea 

venis 
Omnibus acta sitis miseros adduxerat artus, 
Rursus abundabat fluidus liquor; omniaque in 

se 
Ossa minutatim morbo collapsa trahebat. 4S5 
Saepe in honore Deum medio stans hostia ad 

aram, 



'Twas here, long since, a plague from 

tainted air 
Rose, and with all the fires of autumn 

bura'd. 

481. Corrupitque lacus.] It is cor- 
ripuit in the King's and in one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts. Pierius 
reads corripuit, but he says it is cor- 
rupil in the Medicean, and in some 
other ancient manuscripts. Corrupit 
is generally received. 

482. Nee via mortis erat simplex.] 
The commentators agree that these 
words mean, that they died after an 
unusual manner. Thus Dryden 
translates them, Strange death! 

483. Silis.] A parching heat and 
thirst attends all malignant fevers. 
Thus Lucretius : 

Intima pars homini vero flagravit ad 

ossa: 
Flagravit stomacho flamma, ut fornaci- 

bus intus : 

And 

Insedabiliter sitis arida. 

Thucydides mentions a most into- 
lerable thirst, and inward burning, 
insomuch that those who were 
seized with the plague could not 
bear their clothes, nor so much as 
any linen thrown over them ; that 



they ran into the cold water, that 
some who were neglected threw 
themselves into wells, and that 
those who drank largely did not 
fare the better for it : To, 21 itrog 
evrug txxuro an ftwtt rat ■zsxvv ternar 
tuxriav xxi civcIom* rxg IxtZaXetg , fiyr 
xXXo ft n yvpcvbv un%io*&eti, iflis-aL ts xv 
U vhu^ "fyvfr^oi c-Qxg xvrovg pt7rrur. 

KXl TTOXXOI TOVTO T6>V ifli\tlf*iv6i)V Xvfya- 
7TUV XXI i$pX<retV i$ ty^iXTX, XTtXVTOi T*J 

^/-^jj %vn%ofiivoi. xxl Iv rS otto/at xx$si- 

fqXU TO, TS TrXiOV XXI iXxTFCI ZrOTOV. 

486. Scepe in honore Deum } &c.J 
He comes now to relate particular 
instances of the dire effects of this 
pestilence. The victims dropped 
down dead suddenly before the al- 
tars : or if they lived to bear the 
knife of the sacrificer, their flesh 
would not burn ; nor could the au- 
gurs divine any thing from the in- 
spection of their entrails. He then 
mentions the effects of this disease 
on calves, dogs, and swine. 

Thucydides says that prayers to 
the gods and enquiries at the oracles 
were of no service, and at last were 
laid aside : "Oo-x n v-fa U^oTg ixirsv- 
e-Xf, ij [ixvrtUtg xxt reTg roiovrttg i%$- 
o-xrro, -xruvrx avo>q>t\tj qv. nXivrHrng ts 
xvrSr a-x'ifnrxi , xnro rev kxkov itxce- 

fum. 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



399 



Lanea dum nivea circumdatur infula vitta, 
Inter cunctantes cecidit moribunda ministros. 
Aut si quam ferro mactaverat ante sacerdos, 
Inde neque impositis ardent altaria fibris; 490 
Nee responsa potest consul tus reddcre vates : 
Ac vix supposiii tinguntur sanguine cultri, 
Summaque jejuna sanie infuscatur arena. 
Hinc lastis vituli vulso moriuntur in herbis, 
Et dulces animas plena ad praesepia reddunt. 
Hinc canibus b'andis rabies venit, et quatit 
aeirros 496 



the victim standing before the 
altar, whilst the woolly fillet 
is encompassed with a snowy 
garland, drops down dying 
amongst the delaying minis- 
ters. Or if the 'priest hap- 
pened to stab any one, before 
it died, then the entrails be- 
ing la'd on the altars would 
not burn, nor could the augur 
give answers when he was 
consulted; but the knives 
with which they are stuck, 
are scarce tinged with blood, 
and the surface of the sand 
is but just stained with thin 
gore. Hence the calves .fre- 
quently die in the plentiful 
pastures, and give up their 
sweet breath at full cribs. 
Hence the gentle dogs run 
mad, 



Aram."] It is aras in several of 
the old editions. 

487- Lanea.] Pierius reads linea; 
but he says it is lanea in the Me- 
dicean, the Lombard, and in some 
other ancient manuscripts. I find 
laurea in some of the old editions ; 
but lanea is generally received. 

Infula.'] The Infula was a sort 
of diadem or fillet, with which the 
heads of the victims were bound. 
Ruseus says the vittce were the 
ornaments which hung down from 
the Infula. 

488. Ministros.] Pierius says it 
is magistros in the Roman manu- 
script. 

489. Mactaverat.'] It is macta- 
verit in the King's manuscript. 

Sacerdos.'] Dryden has grossly 
translated this word holy butcher. 

491. Nee responsa potest consulius 
reddere vates.] The entrails of the 
victims were thought not to dis- 
cover the will of the gods, unless 
they were sound. 

492. Ac.] It is aut in the King's, 
both the Arundelian, one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts, and in several 
of the oldest editions. In some of 
them it is at. 

^ 493. Jejuna sanie. In these mor- 
bid bodies, the liquids were almost 



wasted, and, instead of blood, there 
came out only a corrupted matter. 

496. Hinc canihus blandis rabies 
venit.] The madness to which dogs 
are subject, is attended with most 
dreadful consequences. Their bite 
communicates the madness, not only 
to other animals, but to mankind 
also. The most terrible of all the 
symptoms of this distemper is the 
Hydrophobia, or dread of water : the 
patient, however thirsty, not being 
able to drink any sort of liquor, 
without being thrown into the most 
horrid convulsions. The reader 
may find the description of several 
cases, in the Philosophical Trans- 
actions. The best remedy for this 
disease was communicated to the 
Royal Society by Mr. Dampier, 
and has since been received by the 
College of Physicians into their 
Dispensatory, under the name of 
Pidvis Antilissus, being a composi- 
tion of black pepper and the ash- 
coloured ground liver- wort, in equal 
quantities. The dose of this pow- 
der is four scruples. The person, 
who has the misfortune to be bitten, 
ought to bleed immediately, and 
wash the place carefully, where the 
bite was received, with salt water ; 
and it is no bad precaution, to 
2 U 



330 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



Se d wh?e t iiSIsw ^^^il a t k > e rt Tussis anhek sues, ac faucibus angitobesis. 



mg 
merits their swelling throats. 



The conquering horse is 
seized, unhappy in his toils, 
and forgetful of his food, and 



loaths the springs, and stamps 
frequently on the ground with 
his foot : his ears hang down j 
a doubtful sweat breaks out, 
which grows cold when they 
are dying; 



Labitur infelix studiorum, atque immemor 
herbas 

Victor equus, fontesque avertitur, et pede 
terram 

Crebra ferit : demissse aures : incertus ibi- 
dem 500 

Sudor, et ille quidem morituris frigidus; ater 



destroy all the clothes which were 
worn at the time, when the acci- 
dent happened. It should be taken 
fasting, for several mornings, m 
warm milk, beer, ale, broth, or 
other such like convenient vehicle. 
It must be taken before the symp- 
toms of madness appear ; for other- 
wise it will be ineffectual. See 
the Philosophical Transactions, No. 
237. p. 49. or Lowthorp's Abridg- 
ment, vol. iii. p. 284. 

Thucydides does not mention 
any thing of the dogs running 
mad : he only says they were more 
obnoxious to this distemper than 
other animals, because of their 
greater familiarity with men : Oi Jg 
Kvn$ (AsLX'Kov xiT&YiO-tv Tsra^iT^oy rov mtto- 

497- Faucibus angil obesis.] Swine 
are subject to coughs, and inflam- 
matory swellings in the throat; 
whence the Poet with great pro- 
priety uses the word angit, angina 
being the Latin name for a quinsey. 

498. Labitur infelix studiorum., 
&c] Having briefly made mention 
of dogs and swine ; he now speaks 
more largely of the violent effects 
of this distemper on horses : 

Infelix studiorum.] Thus we have 
rictus animi, fortunatus laborum, 
Iceta laborum, &c. 

Immemor herbce.~] Some render 
this unmindful of victory, taking 
herbas to express those herbs, which 
were used by the ancients to de- 



note conquest. But I rather be- 
lieve, that Virgil means only pasture. 
Thus in the eighth Eclogue ; 

Immemor herbarum quos est mirata 
juvenca. 

Dry den has introduced both senses : 

The victor horse, forgetful of his food, 
The palm renounces, and abhors the 
Hood. 

499. Pede terram crebra ferit.] 
" In the Lombard manuscript it is 
" crebro ferit, nor need we be 
tf afraid of the false quantity, for 
" Carisius acknowledges the adverb 
" tertio for a dactyl, and sero is in 
" the measure of a trochee in Statius." 

PlERIUS. 

The most violent diseases of 
horses are frequently attended with 
an unusual stamping on the ground. 

500. Demissoe aures.] The hang- 
ing down of the ears is mentioned 
by Columella, as a symptom of pain 
in a horses head: " Capitis dolo- 
" rem indicant lachrymae, quae pro- 
" fluunt, auresque flaccidas, et cer- 
" vix cum capite aggravata, et in 
" terram summissa." 

Incertus sudor. ~\ By a doubtful 
sweat, he either means a sweat of 
which it may be doubted whether 
it is a good or a bad symptom, or 
else a sweat that comes and goes 
uncertainly and irregularly. 

501. Morituris frigidus.] In the 
Cambridge, one of the Arundelian, 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



!31 



Pellis, et ad tactum tractanti dura resistit. 
Haec ante exitium primis dant signa diebus, 
Sin in processu coepit crudescere morbus, 504 
Turn vero ardentes cculi, atque attractus ab alto 
Spiritus, interdum gemitu gravis, imaque longo 
Ilia singultu tendunt : it naribus ater 



their skin grows dry, and 
feels hard and rough. These 
were the symptoms at the 
beginning, but when the dis- 
ease began to increase, their 
eyes were inflamed, and their 
breath was fetched deep, and 
sometimes loaded with a 
groan, and their long sides 
heaved with sobs ; black blood 
gu.-hes out of their nostrils, 



and one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts 
it is moriturus. 

A cold sweat is universally known 
to be a bad symptom. 

Ater pellis.] The dryness of the 
skin is inconsistent with the sweat- 
ing just mentioned. We must 
therefore understand the Poet, not 
to mean that all these symptoms 
were found in every horse, but 
that they were variously affected. 
The cold sweat is a sign of a di- 
minution of the vital powers ; and 
the dryness and hardness of the 
skin shew that there is a great 
inward heat, and an obstruction of 
the matter, which ought to be per- 
spired through the pores of the 
skin. 

502. Et ad tactum.~] In the Ro- 
man manuscript it is at; and in 
the Lombard it is ir actum, accord- 
ing to Fieri us. 

503. Bant] It is dat in one of 
the Arundelian manuscripts. 

505. Ardentes oculi.] Thucydi- 
des, in his description of the plague 
at Athens, says they were at first 
seized with a heat and heaviness in 
the head, with a redness and in- 
flammation of the eyes : n^eurov ph 
TiJs x&pctX'Hs Sigpoti ir%v£ttt Kott ruv oty- 

Zxvi. Thus also Lucretius : 

Principio, caput incensum fervore gere- 

bant : 
Et dupliceis oculos suffusa luce rubenteis. 

First fierce unusual heats did seize the 

head ; 
The glowing eyes, with Mood-shot learns 

looked red, 



Like Hazing stars, approaching fate fore- 
shew y d, 

Creech. 

Attractus ab alto spiritus.] In the 
King's manuscript, it is abstractus. 

Thucydides speaks of their fetch- 
ing their breath with difficulty, and 
with a strong smell : 7Mv[aca uro7Fov, 

506. Imaque longo ilia singultu 
tendunt. Thucydides says that most 
of them had sobs or hickups, at- 
tended with strong convulsions: 

Avy| ri To7g vXitortv h%7ri7rrt xsvti, 
<?7rurpw httutovtrx fa-%v(>ov. Thus Lu- 
cretius : 

Intolerabilibusque malis erat anxius an- 

gor 
Assidue comes, et gemitu commista 

querela, 
Singultusque frequens noctem persaspe, 

diem que 
Compere assidue nervos et membra 

coactans, 
Dissolvebat eos, defessos ante, fatigans. 

To these fierce pains ivere join'd continual 

care, 
And sad complainings, groans, and deep 

despair 
Tormenting, vexing sols, and deadly sighs, 
Which raised convulsions, Iroke the vital 

ties 
Of mind and limls. 

507. It naribus ater sanguis, &c] 
In one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts 
it is autem instead of ater. 

Thucydides says their inner 
parts, their throat and tongue, dis- 
charged blood : xect rat. tvrog, « n <?«'- 
(>vy% x.oii *i yXu<rcr», sjJSvj alfietrddn W> 
Thus Lucretius : 
2 u 2 



332 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and their rough tongue 
cleaves to their clotted jaws. 
At first it was of service to 
drench them with the Le- 
nzean liquor : tliis seemed 
the on'y hope to preserve 
them from death : but after- 
wards even this was their 
destruction : and being re- 
cruited with rage they 
burned : and, (oh ! may the 
gods give a better mind to 
the pious, and that error to 
their enemies !) when they 
were in the nangs of death, 
they tore their own mangled 
flesh with their naked teeth. 



Sanguis, etobsessas fauces premit aspera lingua. 
Profuit inserto latices infundere cornu 
Lenoeos; ea visa sal us morientibus una. 510 
Mox erat hoc ipsum exit'*), furiisque refecti 
Ardebant, ipsique suos, jam niorte sub aegra, 
Dii meliora piis, erroremque hostibus ilium ! 
Discissos nudis laniabant dentibus artus. 



Sudabant etiam fauces intrinsecus atro 
Sanguine, et ulceribus vocis via septa 

co'ibat ; 
Atque animi interpres manabat lingua 

cruore, 
Debilitata raalis, motu gravis, aspera 

tactu. 

The month and jaws wevcfdled with clotted 

Hood ; 
The throat with ulcers : the tongue could 

speak no more, 
But overjloxv'd, and drown'd in putrid 

gore, 
Grew useless, rough, and scarce could make 

a moan. 

Creech. 

509. Profuit inserto latices, &c] 
Wine was frequently given to horses 
by the ancients. Virgil says this 
was found of service at first, but 
afterwards it proved destructive to 
them, throwing them into a fury, 
by increasing their spirits. Dryden 
understands our author to mean, 
that the wine was of service at the 
beginning of the distemper, but was 
destructive, if given too late : 

A drench of wine has with success been 

us'd; 
And thro' a horn the gen'rous juice in- 

fus'd : 
Which timely taken op'd his closing 

jaws ; 
But if too late, the patient's death did 

cause. 
For the too vig'rous dose too fiercely 

wrought ; 
And added fury to the strength it brought. 
Recruited into rage he grinds his teeth 
In his own flesh, and feeds approaching 

death. 

The sense is very good; but I be- 



lieve it is not that which Virgil 
meant. 

513. Dii meliora piis, &c.^] This 
was a frequent form among the an- 
cients of expressing their abhorrence 
of any great mischief, by wishing it 
from themselves to their enemies. 
Something like this is in the eighth 
JEneid : 

Quid memorem infandas caedes ? quid 

facta tyranni 
Effera ? Dii capiti ipsius generiqiie re- 

scrvent. 

Errorem.] Pierius says it is ar- 
dorem in the Roman manuscript. 

514. Discissos nudis laniabant den- 
tibus artus.] In one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts it is Diffisws. 

" The word nudis seems to imply, 
" that by tearing their flesh, they 
*' at the same time tore the gums 
" from their teeth, ut fozditatem ex- 
<f primer et, adjecit nudis; says a 
" commentator in the Varior. And 
"■ what he means I know not." 
Dr. Trapp. 

This commentator is Phylargy- 
rius. I take his meaning to be, 
that the gums being ulcerated, and 
rotted away from their teeth, was a 
filthy sight ; which every one must 
allow that has seen it. 

Though perhaps by naked teeth 
the Poet may intend to express the 
horrid grinning of the horse in the 
agonies of death : for Lucretius has 
used the same expression for the 
grinning of dogs : 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



333 



Ecce autem duro fumans sub vomere taurus 515 
Concidit, et mixtum spumis vomit ore cruorem, 
Extremosque ciet gemitus : it tristis arator, 
Moerentem abjungens fraterna morte juvencum, 
Atque opere in medio defixa relinquit aratra. 
Non umbrae altorum nemorum, non mollia pos- 
sunt 520 
Prata movere animum, non qui per saxa volu- 

tus 
Purior electro campum petit amnis ; at ima 
Solvuntur latera, atq ue oculos stupor urget inertes, 
Ad terramque fluit devexo pondere cervix. 
Quid labor aut benefacta juvant? quid vomere 



But lo, the bull smoking un- 
der the weight of the plough 
drops down, and casts out of 
his mouth blood mixed with 
foatn, and gives his last 
groans : the melancholy 
ploughman yws away, un- 
yoking t lie steer that grieves 
at his brother's death, and 
leaves the forsaken plough 
in the middle of his toil. But 
he can receive no pleasure 
from 'he sha^ e of the lofty 
woods, nor from the sort 
meadows, no, nor from the 
river, which rolling over the 
ro ks Hows clearer than am- 
ber through the plain : his 
Hanks grow flabby, a dead- 
ness seizes his heavy eyes, and 
his unwieldy neck hangs 
drooping to the ground. 
What do his toils and good 
services now avail ? or what 
benefit is it to him to have 



terras 



525 



Mollia ricta fremunt duros nudaniia 
denteto. 

515. Ecce autem duro fumans, 
&.c] As the Poet had before spoken 
of bulls and horses together, when 
he treated of their generation, and 
the ways of managing them ; so 
now he joins them in distress, and 
describes the misery of the bull im- 
mediately after that of the horse. This 
passage is wonderfully poetical. He 
represents the bull dropping down 
under the yoke, and the unhappy 
farmer leaving the plough in the 
middle of the field. Hence he slides 
into a beautiful digression, concern- 
ing the w r holesome simplicity of the 
food of these animals, which he op- 
poses to the luxurious and destruc- 
tive diet of mankind. He repre- 
sents the mortality among the kine 
to have been so great, that they 
were forced to use buffaloes for the 
sacrifices of Juno, to bury the 
corn in the ground with their hands, 
and to draw their waggons them- 
selves, for want of cattle. 

517^ Extremosque ciet jremitus : 
it tristis aralor.] The pause in this 
verse is too beautiful, not to be ob- 



served. The departure of the 
mournful ploughman, and the grief 
of the surviving bullock, for the 
death of his partner, are exceedingly 
moving. The slow measure of the 
next line, consisting of spondees, is 
no less worthy of observation. 

519. Relinquit .] It is reliquit in. 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts, and 
in several of the oldest editions. 

520. 2Vo» umbrae, &c] This re- 
lates to the surviving bullock, who 
is represented as inconsolable. He 
receives no satisfaction from shady 
woods, fine meadows, and clear 
streams : but he falls away, his 
eyes grow stupid and heavy, and 
his neck hangs down, not being 
able to support his head. 

Non mollia possunt prata movere 
animum.] Pierius has Non gramma 
possunt grata movere animum; but 
he says the common reading is in 
all the ancient manuscripts. 

522. At.] It is et in the King's 
manuscript. 

524. Pondered] It is vertice in 
the King's manuscript. 

525. Quid labor, &c] These six 
lines are not without reason admired 



334 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



turned the heavy clods with 
the share? he never suf- 
fered by the Massic gifts of 
Bacchus, or by luxurious ban- 
quets. His food was leaves 
and plain grass, and his drink 
the clear springs, and rivers 
exercised with running. Nor 
did care ever disturb his 
wholesome rest. At no other 
time do they say that kine 
were wanting for the sacri- 
fices of Juno, and that the 
chariots were drawn by un- 
equal buffaloes to the high 
temples. Therefore with dif- 
ficu!ty they till the earth with 
harrows, and set the corn 
with their very nails, and 
draw the rattling waggons 
over the high mountains with 
strained necks. 



Invertisse graves? atqui non Massica Bacchi 
Munera, non illis epulse nocuere repostae: 
Frondibus et victu pascuntur simplicis herbae. 
Pocula sunt fontes liquidi, atque exercita cursu 
Flumina^nec somnos abrumpitcura salubres. 530 
Tempore non alio dicunt regionibus illis 
Quaesitas ad sacra boves Junonis, et uris 
Imparibus ductos alta ad donaria currus. 
Ergo aegre rastris terram rimantur, et ipsis 
Unguibus infodiunt fruges, montesque per 
altos 535 

Contenta cervice trahunt stridentia plaustra. 



by Scaliger, who declares he had 
rather have been the author of 
them, than to have had the favour 
of Croesus or Cyrus. 

526. Massica Bacchi munera.'] 
See the note on book ii. ver. 143. 

528. Victu.] Pierius says it is 
victum, in the Lombard manuscript, 
which he thinks no inelegant read- 
ing. 

529. Alque.~\ Schrevelius reads 
aid. 

530. Abrumpit.~\ Some read ab- 
ntpit. 

531. Tempore non alio, &c] Ser- 
vius, and after him many others 
imagine that the Poet here alludes 
to the famous story of Cleobis and 
Biton, the sons of a priestess of 
Juno at Argos, who, when the 
beasts were not ready at the time 
of the sacrifice, yoked themselves, 
and drew their mother to the tem- 
ple. The priestess hereupon en- 
treated the goddess, to reward the 
piety of her sons with the greatest 
good that could befal men : which 
she granted by causing them to be 
found dead in their beds the next 
morning. The reader will find this 
story related by Herodotus, by Plu- 
tarch in his treatise of Consolation, 
addressed to Apollonius, and by 



Cicero, in his first book of Tusculan 
Questions. But 1 do not find any 
mention of a scarcity of cattle by 
means of any plague; but only that 
the mules or bullocks were either 
not ready soon enough, or were 
tired as they drew the chariot. 
Besides, the scene of this story is 
laid at Argos, whereas Virgil is 
speaking of the Alps. 

532. Uris.'] See the note on 
book ii. ver. 374. 

533. Alia ad donaria.] " Dona- 
" ria are properly the places where 
" the gifts to the gods are laid up. 
" Hence the word is transferred to 
" signify temples. For thus puhi* 
" naria also are used for temples, 
" whereas they are properly the 
f( cushions or couches, which used 
" to be spread in temples." Servius. 

534. Ergocegre, ike] The Poet 
describes the great mortality of 
cattle, by saying the people were 
forced to scratch the earth with 
their nails, in order to sow or ra- 
ther set their corn, scarce being 
able to drag the harrows over the 
fields, and that they strained their 
own necks with the yokes. 

536. Contenta.] This is gene- 
rally interpreted not contented, but 
strained. 



GEORG. LIB. III. 

Non lupus insidias explorat ovilia circum, 



335 



The wolf docs not now ex- 
erci e his wile* arcund tlie 
folds, 



It will not, I believe, be disa- 
greeable to the reader, if I now lay 
before him an abstract of the ac- 
count of the disease which raged 
among the kine in England, in the 
year 1714. This account was drawn 
up by Mr. Bates, then surgeon to 
his majesty's household, who was 
appointed, together with four jus- 
tices of the peace, by the lords jus- 
tices, to enquire into this distemper, 
and by him communicated to the 
Royal Society. It is printed in the 
Philosophical Transactions, No. 358. 
p. 872. Jones's Abridgment, vol. v. 
p. 48. 

This Gentleman observes, that 
all cows have naturally a purga- 
tion by the Anus for five or six 
weeks in the spring, from what the . 
cow-keepers call the frimness of 
the grass ; during which time they 
are brisk and lively, their milk 
becomes thinner, of a bluish colour, 
sweeter to the taste, and in greater 
plenty. But the spring preceding 
this distemper, was unusually dry 
all over Europe. Hence there was 
but little grass, and that so dry, and 
void of that frimness which it has 
in other years, that Mr. Bates could 
not hear of one cow-keeper, who 
had observed his cows to have that 
purgation in the same degree as 
usual : and very few who had ob- 
served any at all. They all agreed 
that their cows had not given above 
half so much milk that summer 
as they did in others ; that some of 
them were almost dry; that the 
milk they did give was much 
thicker, and yellower than in other 
years. It was observed by the 
whole town, that very little of the 
milk then sold would boil without 
turning ; and it is a known truth, 
that the weakest of the common 
purges deprive a cow entirely of 



her milk ; from all which circum- 
stances he thinks it evident, that 
the want of that natural purgation 
was the sole cause of this disease ; 
by producing those obstructions, 
which terminated in a putrefaction, 
and made this distemper contagious. 
The symptoms of this distemper 
were, that they first refused their 
food ; the next day they had husk- 
ish coughs, and voided excrements 
like clay ; their heads swelled, and 
sometimes their bodies. In a day 
or two more, there was a great 
discharge of a mucous matter by 
their nose, and their breaths smelled 
offensively. Lastly a severe purg- 
ing, sometimes bloody, which ter- 
minated in death. Some cows died 
in three days, and others in five or 
six, but the bulls lived eight or 
ten. During their whole illness, 
they refused all manner of food, 
and were very hot. 

Of sixteen cows which he dis- 
sected,, the five first had herded 
with those that were ill, and the 
symptoms of this distemper were 
just become visible; in these, the 
gall-bladders were larger than usual, 
and filled with bile of a natural 
taste and smell, but of a greener 
colour. Their sweet-breads were 
shrivelled, and some of the glands 
obstructed and tumefied. Many of 
the glands in their mesenteries 
were twice or thrice their natural 
bigness. Their lungs were a little 
inflamed, and their flesh felt hot. 
All other parts of the bowels ap- 
peared as in a healthful state. The 
next six that he opened had been 
ill about two days: in them the 
livers were blacker than usual, and 
in two of them there were several 
bags, filled with a petrified sub- 
stance like chalk, about the bigness 
of a pea. Their gall-bladders were 



336 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



nor 
about ' 



rtSjftwkJTi&w 1 * Nec gregibusnoctumusobambulat; acrior ilium 



twice their natural bigness, and 
filled with a greener bile than the 
first. Their sweet -breads were 
shrivelled, some of their glands 
very large and hard, and of a 
blackish colour. The glands in 
their mesenteries were many of 
them five times as big as naturally, 
and of a blackish colour. Their 
lungs were inflamed, with several 
bags forming. Their intestines 
were full of red and black spots. 
Their flesh was very hot, though 
not altered in colour. The five 
last that he opened were very near 
dying; in them he found the liver 
to be blackish, much shrivelled 
and contracted, and in three of 
them there were several bags, as 
big as nutmegs, filled with a chalky 
substance. Their gall-bladders 
were about three times as big as 
usual, and filled with a deep green 
bile. Their sweet-breads were 
shrivelled and contracted, many of 
their glands very large and hard, 
and of a black colour. The glands 
in their mesenteries were many of 
them distended to eight or ten 
times their natural bigness, were 
very black, and in the pelvis of 
most of those glands in two cows 
there was a yellow putrefaction, of 
the consistence of a sandy stone. 
Their intestines were of the colour 
of a snake, their inner coat exco- 
riated by purging. Their lungs 
were much inflamed, with several 
bags containing a yellow purulent 
matter, many of them as big as a 
nutmeg. Their flesh was extreme 
hot, though very little altered in 
colour. These were the general 
appearances; but in some other 
dissections, he observed the follow- 
ing remarkable particulars. In one 
the bile was petrified in its vessels, 
and resembled a tree of coral, but 



of a dark yellow colour, and brittle 
substance. In another there were 
several inflammations on the liver, 
some as large as a half-crown, 
cracked round the edges, and ap- 
peared separating from the sound 
part, like a pestilential carbuncle. 
In a third, the liquor contained in 
the Pericardium, appeared like the 
subsidings of lime-water ; and had 
excoriated, and given as yellow a 
colour to the whole surface of the 
heart and Pericardium, as lime- 
water could possibly have done. 

All the medicines that were ap- 
plied proved ineffectual, and the 
method by which the contagion 
was at last suppressed was this : 
they divided their cows into small 
parcels, by which means they lost 
only that parcel in which the con- 
tagion happened ; for otherwise the 
disease would spread from one in- 
fected cow, through a whole herd. 
They also brought all their cows 
to be burned or buried with quick 
lime, to encourage which, trie king 
allowed them a reward, out of his 
own civil list, for every cow so 
brought, which amounted in the 
whole to 6774/. Is. Id. The num- 
ber of bulls and cows lost by this 
disease were five thousand four 
hundred and eighteen, in the coun- 
ties of Middlesex, Essex, and Surry; 
and of calves, four hundred and 
thirty-nine. 

537. Non lupus iusidias explorat, 
&c] The Poet having already 
mentioned the destruction which 
was made among the cattle, now 
represents this wasting pestilence 
as extending itself through earth, 
sea, and air : he observes that 
physic was of no service, and that 
even the divine masters of the art 
failed. To complete the horror of 
this pestilence, he represents Tisi- 



GEORG. LIB. III. 



337 



Cura domat ; timidi damns, cervique fugaces 
Nunc interque canes, et circum tecta vagan- 

tur, 540 

Jam maris immensi prolem, et genus omne na- 

tantum 
Littore in extreme-, ceu naufraga corpora, fluctus 
Proluit: insolitae fugiunt in flumina phocoe. 
Interit et curvis frustra defensa latebris 
Vipera, et attoniti squamis astantibus hydri. 545 
Ipsis est aer avibus non aequus, et illae 
Praecipites alta vitam sub nube relinquunt. 
Praeterea jam nee mutari pabula refert, 
Quaesitaeque nocent artes : cessere magistri 



care subdues him : the timo- 
rous deer andfl ying staj^s now 
wander among the dogs, and 
about the houses. Now the 
waves cast upon the shore 
the offspring of the vast 
ocean, and all sorts of fishes, 
like shipwrecked bodies; and 
unusual sea calves fly into 
the rivers. The viper pe* 
rishes, in vain defended by 
its winding den; and the 
water ?nakes abtonished with 
erected scales. The air no 
longer agreed even with the 
bird.-., but down they fell, 
leaving their lives under the 
lofty clouds. Moreover, it 
was of no service now to> 
change their pasture, and the 
arts of medicine were injuri- 
ous : the masters themselves 
failed, 



phone, one of the Furies spreading 
death and destruction all around, 
the cattle falling by heaps, their 
hides useless, and the wool spread- 
ing the infection in those who 
presumed to weave it into garments. 
Thucydides says, that the pesti- 
lence, which he describes, was more 
dreadful, than can be expressed by 
words, and was more grievous than 
could be borne by human nature, 
which shewed it plainly to be none 
of the common sort of diseases. 
For even beasts and birds of prey, 
which use to feed on human car- 
cases, would hardly touch the 
bodies of those, who lay unburied, 
and if they tasted them, they died 
themselves : Tivofuvov yug Kpuro-tv 
boyov to lilioq tks vorov, ret n uXXoi 
XStXixaTZ^as t) ksctm tkv civ$(>a7ruocv Qv- 
a-iv -sr£o<ri7rwTiv Iku^oi, kcci lv raids g^jj- 
hatrt fAuXifec uXXo ri "ov *) rav ^vvrpotpw 
n. ra> yap tpvioe. Kxi TlTpa.'Xt&u, orcc 
av§PQ7rM ct.7Fri.Toci, -zroXXav aroityM yty- 
yapivav, » cv -zs-goT-fa, ij yiviroipivoe, Sa- 
(pSupro. Thus also Lucretius : 

Mullaque humi cum inhumata jacerent 

corpora supra 
Corporibus, tamen alituum genus atque 

ferarum 



Aut procul absiliebat, ut acrem exiret 

odorem : 
Aut ubi gustarat, languebat morte pro- 

pinqua. 
Nee tamen omnino temere illis solibus 

ulla 
Comparebat avis, nee noctibu' saecla 

ferarum 
Exibant sylvis : languebant pleraque 

morbo, 
Et moriebantur. 

541. Jam maris immensi prolem.'] 
The Poet here openly contradicts 
Aristotle, who says, that a pesti- 
lential disease does not seem ever 
to invade fishes,' as it often does 
men, horses, oxen, and other ani- 
mals, both tame and wild : No<m^a 

Oi AoiftCOOiS [4.SV h OVOiVl To7$ tfcSvtri (pc&l- 

nroci Z{A7rt7rrov, oiov he) tojv u&pomat 

VVftfoOthu "ZS-oXXeCKlg, XCCt TCOV fyoTOXW* 
KClCt T£Tg<*5T<$&>V, iU 'iTTTTOVg KCil fioVS KOU 

rm ciXXm tig ivtoc %ou yuipot xctt uyptec Z' 
and that the animals of the rivers 
and lakes are not subject to the 
plague : ToTg £g 'zrorctpioig xx) Ai>a- 
vxtotg, "Xoiuuhig [&ZV ovDl T0VT61S oveiivi 
yinrxi. 

543. In flumina.'] In the King's 
manuscript it is ad flumina. Pie- 
rius found the same reading in the 
Lombard manuscript. 

549- Qucesitceque nocent artes.] 
2 x 



S38 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



tXSS&Slff&'Si Fbillyrides Chiron, Amythaoniusque Melam- 
ofAmythaon * pus. 550 



Thucydides says the physicians at 
first could be of no service to the 
sick, because they did not know 
the nature of the distemper, but 
died themselves above all others, 
because of their greater communi- 
cation with the sick : Oure y«*g ixr^oi 

Hgvavv to -zs-^utov ^spoi7Tivovrig ayvoioc, 
uXX xvrot f&xXirx &vw%ov oVai kxi px- 
Xvrx TrgOG-iio-otv, ovri xXXn unS^amlx 

t£^v*j rihfui'et. And afterwards he 
says, those who were taken care of, 
and those who were not, died alike : 
that there could be found no re- 
medy that was of service : that 
what did good to one did harm to 
another : "eSwotkov $1, o't ph, upiXilx, 

Ot ^S KXI -Z3-CCVV SiPXTTlVOfAiiOl. 2V XI Owiiv 

xasT£$">} ixpx, a;? unity, o, n xgK* srgfc- 
Qipovrxs atyiXiTv. to yu.% ru fjyvsvgyxoy 
«AAov rouTo Kxx7rn. Thus also Lu- 
cretius : 

Nee requies erat ulla raali, defessa jace- 

bant 
Corpora, mussabat tacito Medicina ti- 

more x 

And again, 

Nee ratio remedi communis certa da- 

batur. 
Nam quod alis dederat vitales aeris auras 
Volvere in ore licere, et caeli templa 

tueri : 
Hoc aliis erat exitio, lethumque parabat. 

Thus also Mr. Bates, in the ac- 
count above mentioned, says, " se- 
" veral physicians attempted the 
ft cure, and made many essays for 
" that purpose; but the dissections 
" convinced me of the improbabi- 
<e lity of their succeeding, with 
" which I acquainted their Excel- 
" lencies. However they having 
t( received a Recipe and directions 
" from some in Holland, said to 
" have been used there with good 



" success, gave me orders to make 
" trial of it : but the effect was not 
f< answerable to my expectation, 
" for in very many instances I was 
" not sensible of the least benefit 
" . . . I think there is no one method 
u in practice, but what was tried 
" on this occasion, though I cannot 
" say that any of them was attended 
" with an appearance of success ; 
" except that of bleeding plen- 
" tifully, and giving great quan- 
" tities of cooling and diluting 
" liquids. But by this method, the 
" instances of success were so few, 
" that they do not deserve any fur- 
" ther mention/' 

550. Phillyrides Chiron, Amythao- 
niusque Melampus.~] Chiron was 
the son of Saturn and Philyra, as 
was observed in the note on ver. 92. 
When he was grown up, he retired 
to the woods, and having there 
learned the nature and virtues of 
plants, he became an excellent phy- 
sician j and the herb Centaury had 
its name from this famous Centaur. 
He instructed JSsculapius in phy- 
sic, Hercules in astronomy, and 
Achilles in music. He was a prac- 
tical astronomer, and is thought, 
together with Musceus, to have 
framed the first sphere that was 
ever made among the Greeks, for 
the us& of the Argonautic expedi- 
tion, in which he had two grand- 
sons engaged. He is supposed by 
Sir Isaac Newton to have been 
about eighty-eight years old at 
that time. 

Melampus was the son of Amy- 
thaon and 'Dorippe. He was said 
to be famous for augury, and to 
understand the voices of birds and 
other animals. He was also a most 
famous physician, and had a tern- 



GEORG. LIB, III. 



339 



Saevit et in lucem Stygiis emissa tenebris 
Pallida Tisiphone, morbos agit ante metumque, 
Inque dies avidum surgens caput altius effert. 
Balatu pecoruni, et crebris mugitibus amnes, 
Arentesque sonant ripae, collesque supini. 555 
Jamque catervatim dat stragem, atque aggerat 

ipsis 
In stabulis turpi dilapsa cadavera tabo : 
Donee humo tegere, ac foveis abscondere dis- 

cunt. 
Namneque erat coriisusus: nee viscera quisquam 
Aut undis abolere potest, aut vincere flamma: 560 



The pale Tisiphone, being 
sent into the light from the 
Stygian darkness, rages: she 
drives diseases and Tear be- 
fore her, and rising, uprears 
her devouring head higher 
every day. The rivers, and 
withering banks, and bending 
hills resound with the bl eat- 
ings of sheep, and frequent 
lowings. And now she de- 
stroys them by multitudes, 
and heaps up in the stalls the 
rotting carcases: till at last 
they found the way to cover 
them with earth, and bury 
them in pits. For even their 
hides were of no use; nor 
could any one cleanse their 
entrails with water, or purge 
them with fire. 



pie erected to him, with the insti- 
tution of solemn feasts and sacri- 
fices. He assisted Bias in taking 
away the oxen of Iphiclus, and 
cured the daughters of Proetus of 
their madness. 

Hence we may observe, that Vir- 
gil did not suppose the pestilence 
here described to be the same with 
that at Athens, but several years 
more ancient, even before the Ar- 
gonautic expedition. For we have 
seen already, that Chiron was an 
old man at the time of that expe- 
dition, lphiclus, whose oxen Me- 
lampus took away, was the twin- 
brother of Hercules, who was an 
Argonaut. The age of Proetus is 
pot very certain ; only thus much 
we may affirm, that he lived many 
years before the Argonautic expe- 
dition, Chiron therefore and Me- 
lampus were contemporaries, and 
this pestilence happening in their 
time, was before the Argonautic 
expedition, not less than five hun- 
dred years before the famous plague 
of Athens. 

May has injudiciously represented 
these two great physicians, as no 
better than cow-leeches; 

All arts are hurtful, leeches do no good ; 
Not learned Chiron, nor Melampus sage; 



In which he is followed byDryden: 

The learned leeches in despair depart : 
And shake their heads, despairing of 
their art. 

555. Arentesque.] Pierius says it 
is horrentesque in the Roman ma- 
nuscript. 

556. Jamque catervatim dat stra- 
gem.'] Thus Lucretius : 

Incubuit tandem populo Pandionis : om- 
nes 

Inde catervatim morbo mortique da- 
ban tur. 

Aggerat.] In the King's manu- 
script it is aggregat. 

558. Foveis.] It is fossis in the 
King's manuscript. Pierius found 
the same reading in the oldest ma- 
nuscripts ; and thinks it better than 
foveis. He observes that fossce are 
the trenches or great ditches, which 
surround fortified places, and thence 
convey a more ample image of this 
mortality than fovea, which are 
only pits to catch wolves, or for 
other such like mean uses. 

Discunt.] So I read with Hein- 
sius, Paul Stephens, Masvicius, and 
others. The King's manuscript 
also has discunt. The common 
reading is discant. 

2x2 



340 P. VIRGILII MARONIS GEORG. LIB. III. 



Nor could their fleeces cor- 
rupted w ith sores and filth be 
shorn, nor couid any one 
touch the putrid wool : but 
if any tried the odious cloth- 
ing; then carbuncles, and a 
filthy sweat overspread their 
stinking limbs : and in a short 
time the sacred fire consumed 
their infected members. 



Nec tondere quidem morbo illuvieque peresa 
Vellera, nec telas possunt attingere putres. 
Verum etiam invisossi quis tentarat amictus ; 
Ardentes papulae, atque immundus olentia sudor 
Membra sequebatur : nec longo deinde mo- 
ranti 565 

Tempore contactos artus sacer ignis edebat. 



563. Verum etiam.'] Pierius says 
it is quin etiam in the Roman ma- 
nuscript. 

564. Ardentes papulce.] I have 
translated these words carbuncles; 
which are enumerated among the 
symptoms of a pestilence. Dr. 
Hodges, who was a physician at 
London, in the time of the great 
plague in 1665, and has left us the 
most authentic account of that dis- 
ease, describes the carbuncle to be 
a small pimple, which on the wast- 
ing or evacuation of its liquor, be- 
comes a crusty tubercle, something 
like a grain of millet, encompassed 
with a circle as red as fire, rising 
at first with an itching, and after- 
wards being accompanied with a 
vehement pain and intense heat : 
" Est pustula minutula, cujus II- 
" quore utpote paucissimo ocyus 
" absumpto, vel evacuato, tubercu- 
" lum se exerit crustosum* granulo 
tc milii haud absimile, furtim pro- 
" repens, circulo rubicundissimo, 
" velut igneo cincta, cum pruritu 
" imprimis, dein cum vehementi 
" dolore, et ardore intensissimo 
" orta, a lixivio venefico causti- 
tf cante.'' Servius also interprets 
ardentes papula, carbunculi. Dry- 
den seems to have been led by the 



sound of the word papula, to place 
the seat of these carbuncles in the 
people's paps. 

Inunundus sudor] Servius inter- 
prets this morbus pedicularis, in 
which he is followed by May ; 

Hot carbuncles did on their bodies grow, 
And lice-engendering sweat did overflow : 

And Dryden : 

Red blisters rising on their paps appear, 
And flaming carbuncles; and noisome 

sweat, 
And clammy dews, that loathsome lice 

beget. 

But I do not find any sufficient au- 
thority for this interpretation. 

566. Contactos artus.] In the 
King's manuscript, and in some of 
the old editions, it is contractos. 

Sacer ignis.] By this seems to 
be meant an Erysipelas, or St. An- 
thony's fire. Thucydides mentions 
small pustules, and creeping tetters 
among the svmptoms of the plague: 

Kei} to ftlv £%a$tv ccXTOf/tvu trwpx, cvx 
uyxv Sti^yJov qv, ovrs %X6)f>h, cthX t»7rsg- 

sXxio-i* typ&wos- Thus also Lucre- 
tius : 

Et simul ulceribus, quasi inusiis omne 

rubere 
Corpus, ut est per membra sacer cum 
diditur ignis. 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

GEORGICORUM 



LIBER QUARTUS. 



PROTINUS aerii Mellis caslestia dona 
Exequar, hanc etiam, Maecenas, aspice partem. 
Admirandatibi levium spectacula rerum, 
Magnanimosque duces, totiusque ordine gentis 



Next I shall pursue the ce- 
lestial gift of aerial honey: 
and do you, O Maecenas, 
vouchsafe to read this also. 
I shall lay before you the 
wonderful actions of these 
small animals, the bravery of 
their leaders, and the 



1 . Protinus aerii Mellis, &c] The 
Poet has devoted the whole fourth 
book to Bees, in which he treats of 
the surprising customs and manners 
of this wonderful insect. 

Virgil calls honey aerial and ce- 
lestial, because it was the opinion 
of the ancient philosophers, that it 
was derived from the dew of hea- 
ven. Aristotle says it comes from 
the dew of the air, especially at the 
rising of the constellations, and the 
falling of the rainbow, MzXi 2s rl 
"ZT17TT0V Ix. rov ui^og, kcu [idXtret reov 
ar^M dvoiToXc&is, not} orxv xetrxtncyi^ v 
%<?. Pliny has almost translated 
these words of Aristotle, but he 
seems to have read initio? for J^ig : 
" Venit hoc ex aSre, et maxime 
*' siderum exortu, praecipueque ipso 
" sirio explendescente fit." This 
author adds, that it is a doubt 
whether it is the sweat of heaven, 
or some saliva of the constellations, 
or an excretory juice of the air 5 
** sive ille est caeli sudor,, sive qua?- 



" dam siderum saliva, sive purgan- 
" tis se aeris succus." This hea- 
venly dew they thought was re- 
ceived by the flowers, and thence 
gathered by the bees. This is cer- 
tain, that there is a juice to be 
found at the bottom of all flowers, 
and that this liquor has a sweet 
taste like honey, even in such 
plants as afford the most bitter 
juices, not excepting the Aloe itself. 
It does not seem to fall from the 
air, but rather to exude from some 
fine secretory vessels adapted to 
this purpose. It is highly probable, 
that this sweet liquor is the matter 
from which the bees extract their 
honey. 

4. Totiusque ordineT] In the 
Bodleian, both the Arundelian, and 
in both Dr. Mead's manuscripts, it 
is totiusque ex ordine. Pierius found 
the same reading in several ancient 
manuscripts. It is admitted also 
by Paul Stephens, and several of 
the old editors. 



342 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



SSSJA^SSSffi Mores > et studia > et P°P ul <>s> et praelia dicam. 

whole state. Mv subject is t , • i 1 • ^ • i • • 

smaii, but my giory win not In tenui labor, at tenuis non gloria, si quern 

be small; if the adverse . u . ... a n 

deities permit, and Apoiio Numma Jaeva sinunt, auditque vocatus Apollo. 

hears my invocation. . ■ * x. 



6\ Al7\ It is ac in the King's 
manuscript, which is admitted also 
by Paul Stephens. 

7. Numina lava.] In the King's 
manuscript it is lata. 

The commentators are divided 
about the sense of the word lava, 
which is sometimes taken in a good 
sense, and sometimes in a bad one. 
Servius takes it in a good sense ; 
and supports his opinion by another 
passage, where intonuit Itevum sig- 
nifies a prosperous omen. In this 
he is followed by May : 



Nor thinke the glory slight, 



Though slight the subject be, to him, 

whom ere 
Tfe' invoked Gods, and pieas'd Apollo 

hear: 

And Addison : 

A trifling theme provokes my humble 

lays, 
Trifling the theme, not so the Poet's 

praise, 
If great Apollo, and the tuneful Nine 
Join in the piece, to make the work 

divine : 

And Dryden : 

Slight is the subject, but the praise not 

small, 
If heav'n assist, and Phoebus hear my 

call. 

Aulus Gellius understands Virgil to 
mean unpropitious by Iceva; " Prop- 
" terea Virgilium quoque aiunt, 
" multae antiquitatis hominem sine 
* c ostentationis odio peritum, nu- 
" mina keva in Georgicis deprecari, 
*' significantem quandam vim esse 
" hujuscemodi Deorum in laedendo 
*•' magis quam in juvando poten- 

" tern In istis autem diis, 

" quos placari oportet uti mala a 



" nobis vel a frugibus natis amo- 
" veantur, Averruncus quoque ha- 
" betur et Robigus." Grimoaldus 
also has paraphrased the passage 
before us according to this inter- 
pretation : " Id quod praestare me 
" posse reor, dummodo Dii adversi 
" placabuntur, ita ut ne obsint, et 
<e Apollo Poetarum amicus, a me 
" invocatus adesse voluerit, ita ut 
" prosit." This is also approved by 
La Cerda and Ruaeus. Dr. Trapp's 
translation also is in this sense : 

Small the argument : not small 

The glory ; if the unpropitious pow'rs 
Oppose not, and Apollo hears our pray'r. 

" The word Iceva/* says this learned 
Gentleman, " may signify either 
" propitious, or the direct contrary. 
(t If the former, sinunt must mean 
" permit by assisting; if the other, 
" permit by not hindering. The 
"latter is certainly, upon all ac- 
" counts the better." 

The Romans generally esteemed 
omens appearing on the left hand, 
as good : but this rule did not obtain 
universally among their augurs ; for 
Cicero in his first book de Divina- 
tione, informs us, that a raven on 
the right hand, and a crow on the 
left, were looked upon as sure 
omens : " Quid augur, cur a d extra 
" corvus, a sinistra comix faciat 
" ratum T In his second book he 
speaks of thunder from the left 
being accounted prosperous in the 
Roman augury, and observes, that 
the Greeks and Barbarians preferred 
the right hand, but the Romans 
the left: " Quae autem est inter 
" angures conveniens et conjuncta 
t( constantia ? ad nostri augurii 
" consuetudinem dixit Ennius, 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



S43 



Principio secies apibus statioque petendae, 



In the first place a seat and 
station are to be sought for 
the bees. 



" Cum tonuit lsevum bene terapestate 
" serena. 

" At Homericus Ajax apud Achil- 
" lem querens de ferocitate Troja- 
" norum nescio quid, hoc modo 
" nuntiat : 

*' Prospera Jupiter his dextris fulgoribus 
" edit. 

" Ita nobis sinistra videntur; Graiis 
st et Barbaris dextra meliora. Quan- 
iC quam haud ignoro, quae bona 
<e sint, sinistra nos dicere : etiam si 
<c dextra sint. Sed certe nostri si-' 
tr nistrum nominaverunt, externi- 
" que dextrum, quia plerumque 
*' melius id videbatur." Thunder 
from the left was, I believe, always 
accounted a good omen by the 
Romans. Thus we have just now 
seen that it was so accounted by 
Ennius : and Virgil has mentioned 
Intonuit Icevum as a good omen in 
the second and in the ninth iEneid. 
Pliny tells us, that the East was 
accounted the left hand of heaven, 
which was divided by the augurs 
into sixteen points j that the eight 
eastern points were called the left, 
and the eight western points the 
right; and that the thunder which 
came from the eastern points was 
accounted prosperous, but that 
which came from the north-west 
was esteemed the worst : " Laeva 
" prospera existimantur, quoniam 

" laeva parte mundi ortus est 

<e In sedecim partes ccelum in eo 
" respectu divisere Thusci. Prima 
" est a septentrionibus ad aequi- 
" noctialem exortum : secunda ad 
<c meridiem, tertia ad aequinoctia- 
" lem occasum, quarta obtinet quod 
" reliquum est ab occasu ad sep- 
" tentriones. Has iterum in qua- 
u ternas divisere partes, ex quibus 



*• octo ab exortu sinistras, totidem 
" e contrario appellavere dextras. 
<( Ex his maxime dirae quae septen- 
" trionem ab occasu attingunt." 
Notwithstanding these arguments, 
I believe Virgil has never used 
lavus in a good sense, except in 
the two places quoted above, where 
it relates to thunder. In the first 
Eclogue he plainly uses it in a bad 
sense : 

Saepe malum hoc nobis, si mens non 

loeva fuisset, 
De ccelo tactas memini praedicere quer- 

cus; 

where Servius himself interprets 
lava, stulta, c&ntraria. We find 
the same expression in the second 

jEneid : 

Et si fata Deum, si mens non Iceva 
fuisset, 

Impulerat ferro Argolicas violare late- 
bras. 

Upon this passage Servius observes, 
that l&vum signifies adverse, when 
it relates to human affairs, but 
prosperous, when it relates to the 
heavenly. But this criticism does 
not seem to agree with a passage 
in the tenth iEneid : 

Non secus ac liquida si quando nocte 

cometae 
Sanguinei lugubre rubent: ac Sirius 

ardor, 
Me sitim morbosque ferens mortalibus 

aagris 
Nascitur, et Icevo contristat lumine coelum. 

Thus threafning comets, when by night 

they rise, 
Shoot sanguine streams, and sadden all the 

skies : 
So Sirius flashing forth sinister lights 
Pale human kind with plagues, and with 

dry famine frights. 

DRYDEy. 

Here l<Evum is applied to the baleful 
light of Sirius or the Dog-star, 



344 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



where the winds have no en- 
trance, for winds hinder them 
from earning home their 
food, and where no sheep or 
wanton kids may insu t the 
flowers, and where no heifer 
wandering in the pain may 
shake off the dew, and bruise 
the rising hertx. And let 
painted lizards with scaly 
backs be far from the rich 
hives, and bee-eaters and 
other birds, and Procne, 
whose breast is stained by 
bloody hands. 



Quo neque sit ventis aditus, nam pabula venti 
Ferre domum prohjbent, neque oves hoedique 

petulci 10 

Floribus insultent, aut errans bucula campo 
Decutiat rorem, et surgentes atterat herbas. 
Absint et picti squalentia terga lacerti 
Pinguibus a stabulis, meropesque, aliaeque vo- 

lucres, 
Et manibus Procne pectus signata cruentis. 15 



"which is sent by the Gods, as 
much as thunder and lightning. 
To conclude, I think it difficult to 
assign a true reason, why the 
ancients used right and left in 
these different senses. Those which 
Plutarch has given are by no means 
satisfactory : and upon the whole, 
I rather believe that by numina lava 
the adverse deities are here meant. 

8. Principio sedes apibus, &c] In 
this paragraph the Poet treats of a 
proper station for the bees, and 
enumerates what are to be avoided, 
and what are convenient for them. 
Statio.'J In this word the Poet 
alludes to military discipline, which 
figure he almost constantly pre- 
serves. Pliny pursues this metaphor, 
saying, " Interdiu statio ad portas 
" more castrorum, noctu quies in 
" matutinum, donee una excitet 
" gemino aut triplici bombo, ut 
<e buccino aliquo." 

13. Picti squalentia terga lacerti.] 
Lizards are scaly four-footed ani- 
mals, with long tails. There are 
many sorts of them, one of which 
is the most celebrated under the 
name of crocodile, or alligator. The 
green lizard is the most common 
in Italy : that which we have in 
England is smaller, and of various 
colours : it is commonly called an 
eft or newt. We have also a 



water eft, which is frequently seen 
in standing waters. 

14. Meropesque.'] Pierius found 
meropes without que in the Medi- 
cean manuscript : it is the same in 
one of Dr. Mead's copies. 

The Merops, Apiaster, or Bee- 
eater, is shaped like a kingfisher. 
It is about the size of a blackbird. 
Its feet are exactly like those of the 
kingfisher, as is also its bill, only 
it bends a little more downward. 
The top of the head is reddish -, the 
neck and shoulders green, with a 
mixture of red. It is yellow under 
the chin, and its breast and belly 
are blue. It feeds on bees and 
other insects. It is found in Italy, 
but lias been observed to be most 
frequent in the island of Candy or 
ancient Crete. It builds in caverns, 
and is a bird of passage. May 
translates meropes woodpeckers ; Ad- 
dison woodpecks; Dryden the tit- 
mouse and the pecker's hungry brood; 
and Dr. Trapp the idoodpecker. Bee- 
eater would not have sounded very 
elegantly in verse, but they might 
have preserved the original word 
merops. However, it is certainly 
wrong to call it by the name of 
another well known bird, to which 
it does not bear any resemblance. 

15. Manibus Procne pectus signata 
cruentis.] It is Progne in the King's, 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



34.5 



Omnia nam late vastant, ipsasque volantes 
Ore ferunt dulcem nidis immitibus escam. 
At liquidi fontes, et stagna virentia musco 
Adsint, et tenuis fugiens per gramina rivus, 
Palmaque vestibulum, aut ingens oleaster 
umbret. 



m- 
20 



For these make wide waste, 
and carry away the bees 
themselves, a grateful food 
to their cruel young. But let 
them have clear springs, and 
pools green with moss, and a 
small rivulet running through 
the grass : and let a palm or 
vast wild olive overshade the 
entrance, 



both the Arundelian, one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts, and in several 
of the printed editions. But the 
most correct reading seems to be 
Procne, as it is in the Roman, and 
others of the most ancient manu- 
scripts, according to Pierius. The 
same author found Procne also in 
some ancient inscriptions at Rome. 
Procne and Philomela, according 
to the fable, were the daughters of 
Pandion, king of Athens. Procne 
was married to Tereus, king of 
Thrace, by whom she had a son 
named Itys. Tereus afterwards vi- 
olated Philomela, and cut out her 
tongue, to prevent her telling her 
sister : she found means however 
to discover his wickedness, to re- 
venge which the two sisters mur- 
dered Itys, and gave his flesh to his 
father to eat. When the banquet 
was over, they produced the head 
of the child, to shew Tereus in 
what manner they had entertained 
him. He being highly enraged, 
pursued them with his drawn 
sword, and was changed into a 
Hoopoo. Philomela becameanight- 
ingale, and Procne a swallow, which 
has the feathers of its breast stained 
with red, to which the Poet here 
alludes. Thus also Ovid : 

Neque adhuc de pectore cadis 



Excessere notae, signataque sanguine 
pluma est. 

The swallow is known to feed on 
insects. Hence the Poet mentions 
it among those animals, which are 
dangerous to bees. 



18. Liquidi fontes.~] Varro often 
inculcates this precept, that bees 
should have clear water near them: 
" Quae prope se loca habeat ea ubi 
" pabulum sit frequens, et aqua 
" pura :" and " Cibi pars, quod 
" potio, et ea iis aqua liquida, unde 
et bibant esse oportet:" and " In 
" qua diligenter habenda cura, ut 
" aqua sit pura, quod ad mellificium 
" bonum vehementer prodest." 

20. Palma.'] The palm is of 
several sorts ; but that which is 
cultivated in Italy is, I believe, 
chiefly the xlate tree. Pliny says 
Judaea is most famous for palms, 
which grow also in Italy, but do 
not bear fruit. He adds that they 
do not grow spontaneously in Italy, 
but only in the hotter countries : 
i{ Judaea inclyta est vel magis pal- 

" mis Sunt quidem et in 

tl Europa, vulgoque Italia, sed ste- 
" riles. . . . Nulla est in Italia sponte 
" genita, nee in alia parte terrarum, 
" nisi in calida: frugifera vero nus- 
" quam nisi in fervida." 

Oleaster i] See the note on book 
ii. ver. 182. 

Inumbretr\ f In the Roman and 
" some other very ancient manu- 
" scripts it is inumbret, but more 
et have obumbret." Pierius. 

In the Bodleian manuscript it is 
adumbret. In- the King's, the Cam- 
bridge, both the Arundelian, and 
in both Dr. Mead's manuscripts it 
is obumbret; which is admitted also 
by most of the old editors, and by 
Paul Stephens, Schrevelius, and La 

2 Y 



346 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



that when their new kings 
lead the first swarms in the 
spring, and the youth comes 
sporting out of their hives, 
the neighbouring bank may 
invite them to retire from 
the heat, and the tree may 
receive them in its leafy shel- 
ter. Whether the water is 
standing or running, throw 
willows across, and cast great 
stones in it : that they may 
have frequent bridges to rest 
upon, where they may ex- 
pand their wings to the sum- 
mer sun; if at any time those 
which tarry late have been 
dispersed or plunged into the 
water by the boisterous 
south-east wind. Round 
these places let green Casia, 



Ut, cum prima novi ducent examina reges 
Vere suo, ludetque favis emissa juventus, 
Vicina invitet decedere ripa calori; 
Obviaque hospitiis teneat frondentibus arbos. 
In medium, seu stabit iners, seu profluet hu- 
mor, 25 
Transversas salices, et grandia conjice saxa : 
Pontibus ut crebris possint consistere, et alas 
Paudere ad aestivum solem ; si forte morantes 
Sparserit, aut praeceps Neptuno immerserit 

Eurus. 
Hsec circum casiae virides, et olentia late 30 



Cerda. Heinsius, Ruaeus, and Mas- 
vicius read inumbret. 

22. Ludetque.] In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is laudetque. 

23. Decedere.] Pierius says it is 
discedere in the Roman manuscript. 

26. Transversas salices, et grandia 
conjice saxa.] Varro would have a 
small stream drawn near the apiary, 
not above two or three fingers deep, 
with several shells or small stones 
standing a little above the surface 
of the water, that the bees may 
drink: "Eamquepropinquam,quae 
" praeterfluat, aut in aliquem locum 
" influat, ita ut ne altitudine ascen- 
" dat duo aut tres digitos ; in qua 
" aqua jaceant testae, aut lapilli, ita 
" ut extent paulum, ubi assidere et 
" bibere possint." Dryden seems to 
understand the Poet to mean, that 
the willows are to be thrown into 
the standing water, and great stones 
into a running stream : 

With osier floats the standing water 

strow : 
Of massy stones make bridges of it flow. 

29- Immerserit.] In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts and in some 
of the old editions it is immiserit. 

30. Casus.] See the note on book 



ii. ver. 2 IS. to which I shall add in 
this place an argument, to prove 
that the casia is not rosemary, as 
some have supposed. Columella, 
speaking of the plants which ought 
to grow about an apiary, mentions 
casia and rosemary as two different 
plants : " Nam sunt etiam remedio 
" languentibus cythisi, turn deinde 
" casice, atque pini, et rosmarinus." 

Olentia late serpylla.] Serpyllum, 
in Greek ggsrvAAov, is derived from 
%2%ea to creep, because part of it 
falling on the ground sends forth 
roots, and so propagates the plant. 
It was frequent with the Romans 
to change the Greek aspiration into 
S : thus from 'i^xa they formed 
serpo, from sy*vXX»v serpyllum, from 
v$ sus, from fat semi, from i se, 
from e| sex, from «ttt« septem, from 
vTTig super, &c. 

The ancients mention two sorts 
of serpyllum, one of the gardens, 
and the other wild. Our serpyllum, 
or mother of thyme, or wild thyme, 
which is common on ant hills in 
England, and grows wild all over 
Europe, is probably that which 
Pliny calls the wild, and Dioscori- 
des the garden serpyllum. The 
plant very much resembles thyme 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



347 



Serpylla, et graviter spirantis copia thymbras 
Floreat, irriguumque bibant violaria fontem. 
Ipsa autem, seu corticibus tibi suta cavatis, 
Seii lento fuerint alvearia vimine texta, 



34 



and far smelling wild thyme, 
and plenty of strong scented 
savoury flower, and let beds 
of violets drink the copious 
spring. But whether your 
bee-hives are made of hollow 
cork sewed together, or of 
bending twigs interwoven, 



both in appearance and smell, and 
is certainly proper to be planted 
near bees. 

31. Graviter spirantis copia thym- 
bra.] The thymbra of the ancients 
is generally thought to be some 
species of satureia, or savoury. To 
this opinion however it is objected, 
that Columella mentions thymbra 
and satureia as two different plants: 
<( Eademque regio foecunda sit fru- 
" ticis exigui, et maxime thymi, 
" aut origani, turn etiam thymbra, 
" vel nostratis cunilae, quam satu- 

" reiam rustici vocant Sa- 

(< poris praecipui mella reddit thy- 
" mus. Thymo deinde proxima 
" thymbra, serpyllumque, et origa- 
" num. Tertiae notae, sed adhuc 
" generosae, marinus ros, et no- 
" stras cunila, quam dixi satureiam." 
He makes them also different in his 
poem on the culture of gardens : 

Et satureia thymi referens, thymbraeque 
saporem. 

Thus thymbra and satureia, accord- 
ing to this author, are different, and 
satureia is the same with what he 
calls cunila nostras. But in his ele- 
venth book he mentions a foreign 
sort of cunila, transmarina cunila, 
which perhaps may be the same 
with the thymbra. I believe cunila 
was the common Latin name for 
what the Greeks called thymbra, 
and that the cunila nostras or satu- 
reia was our winter savoury, and the 
cunila transmarina, for which they 
also retained the Greek name thym- 
bra, was the thymbra Gr&ca J. B. 
which is called also thymbra legitima 
by Clusius. This last plant is said 



to be still called thymbri, thrybi, and 
tribi, by the Cretans, in whose 
country it grows. The former 
grows wild in Italy. Both of them 
have a strong aromatic smell, like 
thyme. 

32. Violaria.] This word signi- 
fies places set with violets. 

33. Ipsa autem, &c] Here the 
Poet speaks of the structure of the 
hives, and of the avoiding of some 
things which are offensive. 

Corticibus.] The bark of the 
cork tree was called cortex by way 
of eminence. Thus Horace : " Tu 
" cortice levior." Pliny says the 
Greeks not inelegantly called this 
tree the bark tree. " Non infacete 
" Graeci corticis arborem appellant." 
We learn from Columella, that it 
was this bark, which was used for 
bee-hives : f< Jgitur ordinatis sedi- 
" bus, alvearia fabricanda sunt pro 
" conditione regionis : sive ilia fe- 
" rax est suberis, haud dubitanter 
" utilissimas alvos faciemus ex cor- 
" ticibus, quia nee hyeme rigent, 
" nee candent aestate, sive ferulis 
'■' exuberat, iis quoque cum sint 
" naturae corticis similes, e quibus 
" commode vasa texuntur." Varro 
says that those bee-hives which are 
made of cork are the best : " Op- 
" timse fiunt corticeae, deterrimae 
<c fictiles, quod et frigore hyeme, 
" et aestate calore vehementissime 
" hie commoventur." 

34. Lento vimine.] Columella 
having mentioned the excellence of 
bee-hives made of cork or ferula, 
as he was just now quoted, adds, 
that the next in goodness are those 
made of basket-work ; but if nei- 

2 Y 2 



S48 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



let them have narrow en- 
trances; for winter coagu- 
lates the honey with cold, and 
heat melts and dissolves it. 
The force of both these is 
equally dangerous to the bees, 
nor is it m vain that they di- 
ligently smear the small 
chinks in their houses with 
wax, and stop the openings 
with fucus and flowers ; 



Angustos habeant aditus ; nam frigore mella 35 
Cogit hyems, eademque calor liquefacta remittit. 
Utraque vis apibus pariter metuenda: neque illae 
Nequicquam in tectis certatim tenuia cera 
Spiramenta linunt, fucoque et floribus oras 



ther of these are conveniently to be 
bad, he recommends timber hol- 
lowed, or cut into planks; and 
agrees with Varro, that those made 
of earthen ware are the worst, be- 
cause they are too obnoxious to the 
extremities of heat and cold : '" Si 
" neutrum aderit, opere textorio 
" salicibus connectuntur: vel si nee 
" haec suppetent, ligno cavatae ar- 
" boris, aut in tabulas desectae fa- 
" bricabuntur. Deterrima est con- 
" ditio fictilium, quae et accendun- 
" tur aestatis vaporibus, et gelantur 
" hyemis frigoribus." Varro also 
mentions all these sorts : " Alii fa- 
tc ciunt ex viminibus rotundas; alii 
tc e ligno ac corticibus, alii ex ar- 
" bore cava, alii fictiles, alii etiam 
" ex ferulis quadratas, longas pedes 
<{ circiter ternos, latas pedem, sed 
" ita uti cum parum sit qua com- 
" pleant, eas coangustent, ne in 
" vasto loco et inani despondeant 
" animum/' Virgil mentions only 
cork and basket-work, the first of 
which is undoubtedly the best, 
though not used in England, where 
it is less plentiful than in Italy, 
which abounds with cork trees. 

35. Angustos habeant aditus.'] 
Thus also Varro : " Media alvo, in 
" qua introeant apes, faciunt fora- 
" mina parva, dextra ac sinistra;'' 
and Columella : " Foramina, qui- 
" bus exitus aut introitus datur, 
<l angustissima esse debent." 

37. Utraque vis apibus pariter me- 
tuenda.] The extremes of heat and 
cold are injurious to bees, as we 
have seen in some of the preceding 
notes, where the earthen hives are 



mentioned. Varro also observes 
that the greatest care must be taken, 
lest the bees should be destroyed 
by heat or cold: te Providendum 
" vehementer, ne propter aestura 
" aut propter frigus dispereant." 

38. Cera spiramenta linunt.'] The 
cera or wax is properly that sub- 
stance of which the honeycomb is 
formed. Thus Varro : " Favus est, 
t( quern fingunt multicavatum e 
" cera, cum singula cava sena la- 
" tera habeant, quot singulis pedes 
" dedit natura." The propolis or 
bee-bread is a glutinous substance, 
which is found about the door of 
the hives ; " De his Propolim vo- 
f< cant, e quo faciunt ad foramen 
" introitus protectum in alvum 
" maxime restate." The erithace 
is that with which they glue the 
honeycombs together, to keep any 
air from coming in between : 
" Extra ostium alvei obturant om- 
" nia, qua venit inter favos spiri- 
lC tus, quam e^^aV/jv appellant Grae- 

" ci Erithacen vocant, quo 

" favos extremos inter se congluti- 
'• nant, quod est aliud melle, pro- 
l( poli." It seems to be this eri- 
thace therefore, which Virgil means 
under the several appellations of 
cera, fuco, floribus, and gluten. 

39. Fuco et floribus.] The fucus 
is properly a sort of sea- weed which 
was anciently used in dying, and 
in colouring the faces of women. 
Hence all kind of daubing obtained 
the name of fucus. 

By floribus the Poet does not 
mean strictly, that the bees plaster 
their hives with flowers, but with 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



349 



Explent, collectumque hsec ipsa ad munera glu- 
ten, 40 
Et visco et Phrygian servant pice lentius Idae. 
Saepe etiam efFossis, si vera est fama, latebris 
Sub terra fovere larem, penitusque repertse 
Pumicibusque cavis, exesaeque arboris antro. 
Tu tamen e laevi rimosa cubilia limo 45 
Unge fovens circum, etraras superinjice frondes. 
Neu propius tectis taxum sine, neve rubentes 



and for these purposes gather 
and preserve a glue more te- 
nacious than bird-lime or . 
Idaean pitch. Often also, if 
fame be true, they have che- 
rished their families in ca- 
verns, which they have digged 
underground : and have been 
found in hollow pumice- 
stones, and in the cavity of a 
hollow tree. Do you also 
smear their gaping chambers 
with smooth mud all round, 
and cast a few leaves upon 
them. And do not suffer a 
yew tree near their houses, 
nor bum reddening 



a glutinous substance gathered 
from flowers. 

41. Phrygian . . . pice . . . Ida.] 
Hence it appears, that it was not 
the Cretan but the Phrygian Ida 
which was famous for pitch trees. 

43. Sub terra.] Pierius says it is 
sub terram in some manuscripts, sub 
terras in the Medicean. I find sub 
terram in the King's manuscript, 
and in an old edition in quarto, 
printed at Paris in 1494 • sub terras 
in one of the Arundelian manu- 
scripts. 

Fovere larem.'] The common 
reading is fodere : but it seems to be 
a tautology to say fodere effossis la- 
tebris. I choose therefore to read 
fovere, with the Medicean and 
King's manuscripts. The same 
reading is admitted also by Hein- 
sius and Masvicius. 

44. Antro.] Fulvius Ursinus says 
it is alvo in his ancient manuscript. 
Pierius also says it is alvo in several 
copies ; but he prefers antro. 

45. E Icevl] The common read- 
ing is et: but Servius, Heinsius, 
and Masvicius read e. It is e also 
in one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts, 
and in most of the old editions. 

CubiUa.] It is cubicula in the 
Bodleian manuscript. 

Limo.] Higinius, as he is quoted 
by Columella, directs us to stop 



the chinks with mud and cow-dung: 
" Quicquid deinde rimarum est, 
" aut foraminum, luto et fimo bu- 
" bulo mistis illinemus extrinsecus, 
t{ nee nisi aditus quibus commeent 
" relinquemus." 

46. Raras superinjice frondes .] 
Higinius also advises to cover the 
hives with boughs and leaves, to 
defend them from cold and bad 
weather: <c Et quamvis porticu 
" protectet vasa, nihilo minus con- 
" gestu culmorum, et frondium 
" supertegemus, quantumque res 
ic patietur, a frigore et tempestati- 
u bus muniemus." 

47. Taxum.] The yew has al- 
ways been accounted poisonous. 
See the note on book ii. ver. 257. 

In the ninth Eclogue the Poet 
mentions the yews of Corsica, as 
particularly injurious to bees : 

Sic tua Cyrnaeas fugiant examina taxos. 

It does not appear from other wri- 
ters, that Corsica abounded in yews: 
but the honey of that island was 
infamous for its evil qualities. 

Neve rubentes ure foco cancros.~\ 
It is well known that crabs, lob- 
sters, &c. are turned red by the fire. 
It was customary among the Ro- 
mans to burn crabs to ashes, which 
were esteemed a good remedy for 
burns and scalds. 



350 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



crabs in the fire: nor trust 
them near a deep fen, or 
where there is a strong smeH 
of mud, or where the hollow 
rocks resound, and return the 
image of your voice. More- 
over, when the golden sun 
has driven the winter under 
ground, and has opened the 
heavens with summer light; 
they immediately wander 
over the lawns and groves, 
and crop the purple flowers, 
and lightly skim the rivers. 
Hence delighted with I know 
not what sweetness, they che- 
rish their offspring and young 
brood. Hence they artfully 
build new wax, and form the 
clammy honey. Hence when 
you shall see a swarm issuing 
from their cells fly aloft in 
the clear air, and like a dark 
cloud be driven by the wind ; 
observe them. They always 
seek the sweet waters and 
leafy 



Ure foco cancros, altae neu crede paludi ; 
Aut ubi odor coeni gravis, aut ubi concava pulsu 
Saxa sonant, vocisque offensa resultat imago. 50 
Quod superest, ubi pulsam hyemem sol aureus 

egit 
Sub terras, eselumque sestiva luce reclusit ; 
Illee continuo saltus sylvasque peragrant, 
Purpureosque metunt flores, et flumina libant 
Summa leves. Hinc nescio qua dulcedine 

laetse 55 

Progeniem nidosque fovent : hinc arte recentes 
Excudunt ceras, et mella tenacia fingunt. 
Hinc ubi jam emissum caveis ad sidera caeli 
Nare per aestatem liquidam suspexeris agmen, 
Obscuramque trahi vento mirabere nubem ; 60 
Contemplator : aquas dulces et frond ea semper 



48. Altce neu crede paludi.] In 
fens there are no stones for the 
bees to rest upon : hence it appears 
that such places must be very dan- 
gerous to these insects. 

49. Ubi odor cceni gravis."] Ill 
smells are esteemed very pernicious 
to bees : and none can be more 
offensive than that of stinking mud. 

50. Vocisque.] In the old Nuren- 
berg edition it is vocique. 

51. Quod superest, &c] This 
passage relates to the swarming of 
bees, and the manner of making 
them settle. 

Ubi pulsam hyemem, &c] The 
time of the bees going abroad ac- 
cording to Higinius, as he is quoted 
by Columella, is after the vernal 
equinox: " Nam ab aequinoctio 
" verno sine cunctatione, jam pas- 
" sim vagan turret idoneos ad fcetum 
" decerpunt flores." Therefore by 
winter's being driven away, and the 
heavens being opened by summer 
light, we must understand the Poet 



to mean that time, when the spring 
is so far advanced, that the bees are 
no longer in danger from cold 
weather. 

53. Continuo.] See the note on 
book iii. ver. 75. 

Peragrant.] ' It is pererrant in 
the old Paris edition in quarto, 
printed in 1498. 

Pur pureos flores.] I have already 
observed, that purple is frequently 
used by the Poets to express any 
gay bright colour. 

55. Nescio qua dulcedine Icetce.] 
Thus in the first Georgick : 

Nescio qua praeter solitum dulcedine 
laetae. 

57. Fingunt.] Servius, La Cerda, 
and many of the old editors, read 

figunt. The same reading is in one 
of Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 

58. Hinc] It is hie in the King's 
manuscript. 

59. Mstatem7\ It is cestivam in 
the King's manuscript. 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



351 



Tecta petunt : hue tu jussos adsperge sapores, ft^S e SSS c ST£f : Sr- 

, ,, .,1 • im .ected; bruised baum, and the 

Trita melisphylla, et cermthae ignobile gramen vulgar herb of honey wort. 



63. Melisphylla. ~\ Servius, the old 
Nurenberg edition, Paul Stephens, 
La Cerda,and others read meliphylla, 
which reading I find also in the 
King's manuscript. But in all the 
other manuscripts, which I have 
collated, and in most of the printed 
editions, it is melisphylla. 

Melisphyllon seems to be a con- 
traction of melissophyllon, by which 
name we find the plant described 
by Dioscorides, who says also, that 
some call it melittcena. He says it 
is so called because the bees delight 
in this herb : it has stalks and 
leaves like black horehound, only 
they are bigger and narrower, not 
so rough, and smelling like the 
citron ; MeTucvo'^uAAov, % zvioi [AtXir- 
zetivo&v Ktc^cvtrt, eiioi rh qdeo&ett ry -zs-oet 
recg pnXtTrctg. "Eoixi £& uvrtig rol (pvhhct 
nut ret xxv^icc rvj Ts-^on^f^iv^ fiuXhwT^, 
pzi^ovei dl TctvTX xott XtTrron^oc, ovx tbru 
cadet, otpvTot, 21 KiTpof&tXv). This de- 
scription agrees very well with the 
Melissa or Baum, which is a com- 
mon herb in the English gardens. 
Varro informs us, that the Latin 
name for this plant is apiastrum: 
" Hos circum villam totam alveari- 
" um fecisse, et hortum habuisse, 
" ac reliquum thymo, et cythiso 
" obsevisse, et apiastro, quod alii 
" f&iXiQvXXov, alii ft,sXi<rro(pvXX6v, qui- 
tc dam fMhivov appellant." Colu- 
mella however speaks of apiastrum 
and meliphyllum, as of two different 
herbs : " Sunt qui per initia veris 
" apiastrum atque, ut ille vates ait, 
" trita meliphylla et caerinthae ig- 
ie nobile gramen aliasque colligant 
" similes herbas, quibus id genus 
" animalium delectatur, et ita alvos 
" perfricent, ut odor et succus vasi 
" inhaereat." Palladius seems to 
make citreago the same with melis- 



sophyllon, for under the title of 
April he mentions citreago as an 
herb in which bees delight : " Vasa 
" autem, quibus recipiuntur, per- 
" fricanda sunt citreagine, vel her- 
' ' bis suavibus, et conspergenda im- 
" bre mellis exigui." And under 
the title of June, he seems to men- 
tion melissophyllon for much the 
same purpose : '.' Ubi globos apium 
" frequentiores videris, uncta manu 
(C succo melissophylli,ve\ apii reges 
" requiras." Perhaps instead of apii 
we should read apiastri, and then 
he will agree with Columella, in 
making melissophyllon and apiastrum 
different. It is not improbable 
however that he meant baum by 
citreago, for, according to Mat- 
thiolus, the Italians call that plant 
cedronella, and according to Cae- 
salpinus citronella, from the affinity 
between the smell of it, and that 
of a citron. Pliny also has been 
cited in contradiction to Varro, as 
making a distinction between apias- 
trum and melissophyllon, because he 
mentions them both in the twelfth 
chapter of the twenty-first book : 
" Harum ergo causa oportet serere 
" thymum, apiastrum, rosam, vio- 
" las, lilium, cytisum, fabam, ervi- 
" Hum, cunilam, papaver, conyzam, 
" casiam, melilotum, melissophyl- 
" lum, cerinthen." But it may be 
observed, that Pliny more than 
once has mentioned the same plant 
under different names, one Greek, 
and the other Latin. For as his 
work was a compilation, he some- 
times sets down what the Greek 
authors have said under the Greek 
name, and the account given by 
the Latin authors under the Latin 
name, though they are one and 
the same plant. But with regard to 



352 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



S^^S^'JJSSd Tinnitusque cie, et Matris quate cymbala cir- 



Makealsoatinklirv 

the 

about. 



cum. 



64, 



the plant now under consideration, 
he plainly enough shews in other 
passages, that melissophyllon and 
apiastrum are the same. In the 
eleventh chapter of the twentieth 
book, he tells us that, according to 
Hyginus, apiastrum and melisso- 
phyllon are the same : " Apiastrum 
" Hyginus quidem melissophyllon 
ce appellat;" and in the ninth chap- 
ter of the twenty-first book he says 
expressly, that the Latin name of 
melissophyllon is apiastrum: " Me- 
ee lissophyllon, quod Apiastrum, 
" meliloton, quod sertulamCampa- 
" nam vocamus." I do not remem- 
ber that apiastrum occurs any where 
in this author, except in the pas- 
sages just now quoted. We may 
conclude from what has been said, 
that apiastrum was a name which 
the Romans had formed in imitation 
of piXir<ro(pvXX6v , both names sig- 
nifying the bee-herb. May has 
translated it mill foile, which is the 
English name of millefolium or 
yarrow; but this cannot be the 
plant intended. Addison also trans- 
lates it milfoil. Dryden has used a 
word which I have not seen else- 
where, melfoil; but it is a very just 
translation of piXiQvXtov. Dr. Trapp 
has rightly rendered it baum. 

Cerinthce ignobile gramen.] The 
name of this plant is derived from 
xng/*y, a honey-comb, because the 
flower abounds with a sweet juice, 
like honey. La Cerda says we may 
see how this herb delights the bees, 
in Aristotle, lib. 9- Hist. But what 
the philosopher has there said does 
not appear to me to be concerning 
the plant cerinthe, but to relate to 
the erithace, spoken of already in 
the note on ver. 38. He says they 
have, besides their honey, another 



sort of food which some call cerin- 
thum, which is not so good, and 
has a sweetness like that of a fig : 
"Eft dl etvruYs x.cc) aXXtj r^ttyi), Sj» kx- 
Xoveri rm$ xwivSov ; sV< 2s tovto v7Footi- 
TigoVj Kxi yXvxvrviTcc o-vkwIyi &%ov. Now 
Pliny assures us that the cerinthum, 
which he says is also called sanda- 
raca, is the same with the erithace; 
u Praeter haec convehitur erithace, 
" quam aliqui sandaracam. alii ce- 
'•* rinthum vocant." Aristotle also 
mentions sandaraca in such a man- 
ner, thatwe may imagine it to be the 
same with that which he had before 
spoken of under the name of cerin- 
thum : for he says it is a substance 
approaching in hardness to wax, 
and serves the bees for food : Tge^jj 
2s x^uvrcti ftekirt xm) Ssqovs xxt yjii- 
[tvvos. riB'ivrect 2s xa.) csAAjjv Tge^>>jv sp- 

($>£$ TO) X^Z TKV G-fcA'/JgOTJJ'ttS, 5JV OVOf&OC- 

£ovtri nng <rscvcix(>cixYiv. Thus we see 
that the cerinthum or sandaraca of 
Aristotle is not the name of an 
herb, as La Cerda and others have 
imagined; but of a substance col- 
lected by the bees, to serve them 
for sustenance. Cerinthe however 
is certainly the name of an herb, 
which grows common in Italy, 
whence the Poet calls it ignobile 
gramen. Theophrastus says no 
more of it, than that it flowers in 
summer. Dioscorides does not 
mention it. But Pliny has given 
us a description of it. He says it 
is a cubit high, its leaf white and 
bending, its bead hollow, and 
abounding with a juice like honey ; 
and the bees are fond of its flower : 
<c Est autem cerinthe folio candido, 
" incur vo, cubital is, capite concavo, 
<e mellis succum habente. Horum 
" floris avidissimae sunt." There 
are several species of cerinthe de- 




€ EmOTTMIE 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



353 



Ipsae consident medicatis sedibus ; ipsae 2SSjfSS.S85fi 

T i_ i j into the inmost chambers af- 

lntima more suo sese m cunabula condent. ter their manner. But if 

they shall go out to battle, 

Sin autem ad pugnam exiermt, nam saepe duobus ^J^^jj often vio,en «y 



scribed by modern authors : but I 
believe that of the ancients is the 
Cerinihe flavo flore asperior C. B. or 
yellow flowered honey wort. It is 
one of the most common herbs all 
over Italy and Sicily. In our gar- 
dens it grows to the height of a 
foot and a half or two feet. The 
stalks are about the thickness of 
one's finger, round, smooth, whit- 
ish, and divided into several 
branches. The leaves embrace the 
stalk and branches with their bases, 
and diminish gradually to a point : 
they are of a bluish colour, marked 
with white spots, set on both sides 
with prickles, and neatly indented. 
The flowers hang in bunches from 
the tops of the branches. The em- 
palement is divided into five seg- 
ments neatly indented about the 
edges : the petal is long, tubular, 
and of a yellow colour. The sum- 
mits are of a dark colour, and are 
sustained by yellow chives, each 
flower is succeeded by two seeds. 
May, and after him all the other 
translators have rendered eer'inihe, 
honey-suckle, Philargyrius says it 
derives its name from Cerinthus, a 
city of Boeotia, where it grows in 
great plenty. But I believe the 
name is rather derived from joj^oj, 
wax. 

64. Tinnitusque cie.] The mak- 
ing of a tinkling noise with brasen 
utensils is used among us, to cause 
the swarms of bees to settle. Aris- 
totle mentions this custom, and 
questions whether they hear or not, 
and whether it be delight or fear 
that causes the bees to be quieted 
with these noises : Ae^om dl %cci£U» 



rcvvrsg (poctriv dfyotfyiv ecvreig tU to o^cjj- 
voq y orgccKotg ts Kent i^ocpoig. eV< fchroi 
adnXov oXag ure cckovovtiv, urz pM, xccc 
■zriripov « S<' tioovqv rovro vroiovo-iv , jj (fix 
(po&ov. Varro ascribes it entirely to 
fear : " Cum a mellario id fecisse 
* f sunt animadversae, jaciundo jn 
" eas pulverem, et circumtinniendo 
" acre, perterritas quo voluerit per- 
<f ducet." Columella also is of the 
same opinion : <( Quod si est abdi- 
" turn specu, fumo elicitur, et cum 
** erupit, aeris strepitu coercetur. 
" Nam statim sono territum, vel in 
" frutice, vel in editiore sylvae 
" fronde considet, et a vestigatore 
" praeparato vase reconditur." Pliny 
ascribes the effect of these noises 
on the bees to pleasure : " Gaudent 
" plausu atque tinnitu aeris, eoque 
<e convocantur." 

Matris quale cymbala.~] The 
priests of Cybele, the mother of 
the gods, used to beat brasen drums 
or cymbals, in the sacrifices to that 
goddess. 

65. Ipse consident medicatis sedi- 
bus.] Thus Varro says the place 
where we would have the bees to 
settle must be rubbed with erithace 
and baum : " Quocirca examen ubi 
" volunt considere, eum ramum, 
" aliamve quam rem oblinunt hoc, 
" admixto apiastro." 

67. Sin autem, &c] These beau- 
tiful lines describe in a very poetical 
manner the fighting of the bees. 
Nothing can be more lively and 
animated than this description. We 
here find represented the ardour of 
the warriors, the sound of the 
trumpets, the glittering of armour, 
2z 



354 P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

^SngTerSSvVSg^e Regibus incessit magno discordia motu, 

beforehand the tumultuous /-«>• • i • • -i • i u 

disposition of the populace, Continuoque animos vulgi, et trepidantia bello 

and their hearts beating with • _ . 

S^SiJSSilfflta? Corda llcet lon § e P^sciscere: namque mo- 

gish, and a voice is heard ranrps *7A 

that imitates the broken idiiLCb /U 

sounds of trumpets. Then tit x« mi ■ • • . 

hastily they assemble, and Martius me aeris rauci canor mcrepat, et vox 

brandish their wings, and ' ... 

sharpen their stings with Auditur fractos sonitus lmitata tubarum. 

their beaks, and fit their 

SS'bSSWS^SS Turn trepidae inter se coeunt, pennisque corus- 

and provoke the enemy with 

loud shouts. Therefore as Cantj 

soon as they find the weather 

SSe?'Sw t iSif 1 toth°frem Spiculaque exacuunt 'rostris, aptantque lacertos, 
r^ise g ts te heard e abo e ve g m e thl Et circa regem atque ipsa ad praetoria densas 75 

sky : they are gathered into •».-.' . , .. , 

a vast orb, and fail headlong, Miscentur, magnisque vocant clamonbus nostem. 

as thick as hail from the air, ° x 

mkrThSlftSdvS; Er g°> ubi ver nactae sudum, camposque patentes, 
SrSd'their gutterm^Sgs' Erumpunt portis ', concurritur; aethere in alto 

having mighty seuls in little ■*-.»* •, 

bodies : and being resolved Fit sonitus, magnum mixtae fflomerantur in 

not to yield, till the dread- ° & 

ful victor has compelled ei- ovVinm 

ther one side or the other to U1 ut - ill > 

turn eir ac s m ig t. p ra ecipitesque cadunt : non densior aere gran- 
do, 80 

Nee de concussa tantum pluit ilice glandis. 

Ipsi per medias acies, insignibus alis, 

Ingentes animos angusto in pectore versant. 

Usque adeo obnixi non cedere, dum gravis aut 
hos, 

Aut hos versa fuga victor dare terga subegit. 85 



the shouts of the soldiers, the fury words are thus pointed j concurritur 

of the battle, and the bravery of the cethere in alto : Jit sonitus. 

leaders. In the Kings manuscript we find 

69. Trepidantia bello corda.'] Tre~ ab alio, 

pidare signifies not only to fear and 81. Nee] It is non in the King's 

tremble, as it is commonly inter- manuscript. 

preted, but also to hasten. In the 83. Ingentes animos angusto in 

ninth JEneid it is used in this pectore versant.] This line seems 

sense . to be an imitation of that of 

«,../., Homer: 

Ne trepidate meas, Teucn, defendere 

naves. Tuhu$ ret (juzfe ph tvv Vifjutf, «XX« p«- 

X*irys. 
75. Pretoria.] The Prcetorium 

is a camp in the general's tent. 85. Subegit.] Some read coegit ; 

78. Concurritur ; (sthere in alto but Pierius found subegit in ail the 

Jit sonitus.] In some editions these ancient manuscripts. 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



355 



Hi motus animorum, atquehsec certamina tanta 
Pulveris exigui jactu compressa quiescent. 
Verum ubi ductores acie revocaveris ambos, 
Deterior qui visus, eum, ne prodigus obsit, 
Dcde neci ; melior vacua sine regnet in aula. 90 
Alter erit maculis auro squalentibus ardens, 
Nam duo sunt genera, hie melior, insignis et ore, 
Et rutilis clarus squamis ; ille horridus alter 
Desidia, latamque trahens inglorius alvum. 
Ut binae regum facies, ita corpora plebis ; 9S 
Namque alias turpes horrent ; ceu pulvere ab 

alto 
Cum venit, et sicco terram spuit ore viator 
Aridus ; elucent alias, et fulgore coruscant 
Ardentes auro, et paribus lita corpora guttis. 
Haec potior soboles : hinc caeli tempore certo 100 
Dulcia mella premes ; nee tantum dulcia, quan- 
tum 
Et liquida, et durum Bacchi domitura saporem. 



These violent commotion*, 
these fierce encounters, will 
cease, if you do but scatter a 
little dust among them . But 
when you have recalled both 
leaders from the battle, de- 
stroy him that appears the 
worst, lest he prove injurious 
by wasting the honey ; and 
let the better king reign in 
his court without him . There 
are two sorts; the better 
glows with spots of gold, has 
a more beautiful person, and 
shines with bright scales : the 
other is filthy through sloth, 
and ingloriously drags a large 
belly after him. And as 
there are two forms of kings, 
so also do the bodies of their 
people differ. For some cf 
them have a nasty roughness, 
like a parched traveller, com- 
ing alongadu6ty road, and 
spitting the dirt out of liis dry 
mouth : the others shine, and 
glitter with brightness, being 
spangled with gold and equal 
spots. This is the best sort. 
From these at certain seasons 
you shall squeeze sweet ho* 
ney, and not only sweet, but 
>ure, and fit to mend the 
taste of wine. 



87. Pulveris exigui jactu.] This 
precept of scattering dust among 
the warring bees is taken from 
Varro. See the note on ver. 64. 

Quiescent.'] Pierius says it is 
quiescunt in the present tense, in the 
Medicean and in most of the ancient 
manuscripts. I find quiescunt in 
one of the Arundelian manuscripts, 
and quiescant in the Bodleian. 

88. Verum ubi ductores.] In this 
paragraph the Poet teaches how to 
distinguish the best sort of bees. 

Ambos.] Some read ambo. 

91. Squalentibus. 1 Servius de- 
rives squalentibus from squamis, and 
renders it splendentibus. 

92. Duo sunt genera.] Aristotle 
says there are two sorts of kings ; 
the best is red, but the other is 
various, and twice as big as the 
good bee : Elo-} $e ygyjj rm pifarrM 



ityipovwv. o ph fiehriav -zTvppos. c d' erg- 
gas [tzhas koc) ■zroixiXartgog. to dl fieyi* 
$o$ diTrXcto-iog rtg Xepws ptXiTTVis. 

Melior.'] In the King's manu- 
script it is melior que. 

95. Plebis.] It is gentis in the 
Bodleian manuscript, and in most 
of the printed editions. I lind 
plebis in the King's, the Cambridge, 
both the Arundelian^ and in both 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts. Several 
of the oldest editors, Heinsius, and 
Masvicius read also plebis. 

97. Sicco terram.] The common 
reading is terram sicco. Heinsius 
reads sicco terram. Pierius found 
the same order of words in several 
ancient manuscripts, 

101. Premes.] It is premens in 
the King's and in one of the Arun- 
delian manuscripts. 
2 z 2 



366 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



But when the swarms fly du- 
biously, and sport in the air, 
and disdain their combs, and 
quit their cool habitations, re- 
strain their wandering minds 
from their vain play. Nor is 
it any great difficulty to hin- 
der them: do but clip the 
wings of their monarchs : if 
they are kept at home, none 
will dare to attempt their 
airy 



At cum incerta volant, cseloque examina ludunt, 
Contemn untquefavos, etfrigida tecta relinquunt; 
Instabiles animos ludo prohibebis inani. 105 
Nee magnus prohibere labor : tu regibus alas 
Eripe : non illis quisquam cunctantibus altum 



103. At cum incerta volant, &c] 
This paragraph treats of the means 
to prevent the bees from leaving 
their situation. 

104. Frigida tecta.] By cool or 
cold hives Servius understands empty; 
" Melle vacua, inoperosa, contra 
" fervet opus." La Cerda observes 
that the Greeks and Romans used 
coldness for inactivity. This seems 
to be the received interpretation. 
May translates it cold: 



Forsaking their cold hives. 



Addison renders it. 

And leave the cooling hive. 
Dryden's translation is, 

And loath their empty hives* 
According to Dr. Trapp it is, 

'■' ■ ■ And quit their vacant hives. 

He thinks they are called cold, be- 
cause they grow cool by being left; 
€( Frigida tecta relinquunt; for they 
te become frigida by being relicta.'" 
It is in summer that the bees swarm, 
and as they are to be defended from 
the extremities of heat and cold, 
the hives may in this sense be ac- 
counted cool in summer and warm 
in winter. 

106. Tu regibus alas eripe.] In 
the King's manuscript it is rigidus 
instead of regibus. 

Dr. Trapp treats this precept of 
clipping the king's wings as im- 
practicable, and makes himself 
merry on the occasion : " But how 
(f shall one catch them ?* says he ; 



" or if one could seize them, 
'* would it not be difficult to hold 
" and handle them, so as to cut 
f< their wings? And would not their 
" majesties be apt to dart out their 
" royal stings ; and with them their 
" royal lives ? No commentator 
" takes the least notice of this 
u strange difficulty ; nor can I 
" imagine what Virgil means. As 
u if a master-bee were to be singled 
" out, laid hold of, and shorn, with 
(t as much ease as the bell-weather 
" of a flock of sheep." This pre- 
cept however has been laid down 
also by Columella; " Qui tamen 
" et ipse spoliandus est alis, ubi 
<f saepius cum examine suo conatur 
" eruptione facta profugere : nam 
te velut quadam compede retinebi- 
" mus erronem ducem detractis 
tf alis, qui fugee destitutus praesidio* 
*f finem regni non audet excedere, 
" propter quod ne ditionis quidem 
" suae populo permittit longiu9 
" evagari." Nor did Pliny think 
it unworthy to be inserted in his 
Natural History : " Si quis alam 
" ei detruncet, non fugiet examen." 
Columella informs us how we may 
take hold of the king of the bees 
with impunity : namely, by per- 
fuming the hand with baum, which 
will cause the bees not to fly. away 
or resist : " Succo prsedictarum her- 
C( barum, id est melissophylli vel 
ff apiastri manu illita, ne ad tactum 
" diffugiant, leviter inferes digitos, 
' ( et diductas apes scrutaberis, donee 
" auctorem pugnee, quern elidere 
" debes, reperia3." Dryden's trans- 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



357 



Ire iter, aut castris audebit vellere signa. 
Invitent croceis halantes floribus horti, 
Et custos furum atque avium cum falce sa- 
ligna 110 

Hellespontiaci servet tutela Priapi. 
Ipse thy mum pinosque ferens de montibus altis 
Tecta serat late circum, cui talia curae ; 
Ipse labore manum duro terat; ipse feraces 
Figat humo plantas, et amicos irriget imbres. 115 
Atque equidem, extremo ni jam sub fine la- 
borum 



journey, or move the standard 
from the camp. Let garden* 
breathing with saffron flower* 
invite them, and let the 
defence of Hellespontiac Pri- 
apus, the guard of thieves and 
birds with his wooden sword 

E reserve them. Let him who 
as the care of bees bring 
thyme and pines from the 
lofty mountains, and make 
large plantations of them 
round the hives: let him 
harden his hand with labour, 
let him plant fruitful trees in 
the ground, and bestow 
friendly showers upon them. 
And now indeed, were I not 
just striking sail toward the 
end of my labours, 



lation of the passage under con- 
sideration is very singular 5 

The task is easy : but to clip the wings 
Of their high-flying arbitrary kings : 
At their command the people swarm 

away, 
Confine the tyrant, and the slaves will 

stay. 

108. Vellere signa.] In one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts it is tollere: 
but vellere signa was used by the 
Romans, to express the moving of 
their camp. For when they pitched 
their camp they struck their ensigns 
into the ground before the general's 
tent -, and plucked them up, when 
they decamped. Thus in the ele- 
venth Mneld : 

' Ubi primum vellere signa 

Annuerint superi, pubemque educere 
castris. 

109. Croceis halantes floribus nor- 
th] Saffron flowers seem to be put 
here for odorous flowers in general. 

In one of the Arundelian manu- 
scripts there is olentes instead of 
halantes. 

111. Hellespontiaci servet tutela 
Priapi] The Poet does not mean 
that a statue of Priapus should be 
set up to defend the bees : but that 
they should be invited by such gar- 
dens, as may deserve to be under 
the protection of that deity. 



Priapus was worshipped princi- 
pally at Lampsacum, a city on the 
Hellespont. 

112. Thymum.] The thyme of 
the ancients is not our common 
thyme, but the thymus capitatus, 
qui Dioscoridis C. B. which now 
grows in great plenty upon the 
mountains in Greece. The Attic 
honey was accounted the best, be- 
cause of the excellence of this sort 
of thyme, which grows about 
Athens. Thus our Poet : 

Cecropiumque thymum. 

That also of Sicily was very fa- 
mous, to which Virgil also alludes 
in the seventh Eclogue : 

Nerine Galatea thymo mihi dulcior Hy- 
blae. 

This sort of thyme has a most 
fragrant smell and agreeable taste ; 
whence the Poet justly ascribes the 
fragrance of honey to this plant : 

»■ " Redolentque thymo fragrantia 

mella. 

It is known among us under the 
name of the true thyme of the an* 
dents. 

Ferens.] In the King's manu- 
script it is feres. 

116. Atque equidem extremo, &c] 



358 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



5£,t?S?3^JK.S3 Velatraham, et terris festinem advertere pro- 

might sing what care wa» 

required to cultivate rich ram \ 

gardens, and the roses of . . 

twice fertile pxstum: and Porsitan et pmgues hortos quae cura colendi 

how endive, and banks green Jr o t. 

^g t the e riS , , delightindrink ' Ornaret, canerem, biferique rosaria Passti; 

Quoque modo potis gauderent intuba rivis, 120 



The Poet having mentioned the 
advantage of gardens with respect 
to bees, takes occasion to speak of 
them cursorily ; but in such beau- 
tiful terms, that every reader must 
wish that Virgil had expatiated on 
this subject. 

117. Vela traham, &c] A meta- 
phor taken from sailing, as in the 
first Georgick -, 

— — Ades et primi lege littoris orara : 

And 

—— pelagoque volans da vela patenti. 

118. Pingues hortos.'] It will not 
perhaps be disagreeable to the 
reader, if in this place I make some 
little enquiry into the gardens of 
the ancients. Those of the Hes- 
perides, those of Adonis, Alcinous, 
Semiramis, and Cyrus, have been 
celebrated with large praises. We 
may easily apprehend, what sort of 
gardens the most magnificent ones 
of ancient Greece were, by the de- 
scription which Homer has left us 
of that of Alcinous. The whole 
garden was of no larger extent 
than four acres : and yet it is called 
by Homer a large garden or or- 
chard : 

'EicroffS-tv ^ euiktis piyas o£%urot %yx, 1 
T%vt>ayvo$. 

Our English word orchard, or per- 
haps rather, as Milton writes it, 
orchat, seems to be derived from 
the Greek word c^x XTC ^> which 
Homer here uses to express the 
garden of Alcinous : and indeed it 



seems rather to have been an or- 
chard than what we call a garden. 
It consisted of pears, apples, pome- 
granates, figs, olives, and vines. 
Round these were beds of herbs 
and flowers, and the whole was 
fenced in with a hedge. The gar- 
den which Laertes cultivated with 
his own royal hands, seems to 
have been much of the same sort. 
The Romans seem to have pro- 
ceeded much farther in their taste 
of gardening in Virgil's time. We 
here find not only fruit-trees, and 
roses, lilies, and daffodils, with 
some pot-herbs 3 but also rows of 
elms and planes for shade. Colu- 
mella speaks of inclosing them 
with walls as well as with hedges : 
and a few years afterwards, we find 
them arrived to a degree of magni- 
ficence, equal to the finest modern 
gardens : as the reader may see in 
the fifth book of the Epistles of the 
younger Pliny. 

119. Biferique rosaria Pasti.2 
" Paestum is a town of Calabria, 
" where the roses blow twice in a 
a year." Servius. 

120. Quoque modo potis gauderent 
intuba rivis.] Pierius says this verse 
Is read differently in the Lombard 
manuscript : 

Quoque modo positis gauderent intyba 
fibris. 

The plant which Virgil means in 
this place is endive, that being the 
name of the garden nye, whereas 
the wild sort is our succory. See 
the note on book i. ver. 120. 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



359 



Et virides apio ripse, tortusque per herbam 
Cresceret in ventrem cucumis : nee sera coman- 
tem 



and how the cucumber creep- 
ing along the grass swells into 
a belly : nor would I have 



121. Virides apio ripce."^ Apium 
is allowed by all to be the Latin 
name for what the Greeks called 
o-'iXmv. Theophrastus speaks of se- 
veral sorts : the <riXivcv e^esgov, which 
is generally thought to be our com- 
mon parsley ; the <We<rePuvov, which 
seems to be what we call Alexan- 
ders ; the Iteicoixivov, which is what 
we call smallage ; and the cgg©<rsA<vov, 
or mountain parsley. Virgil is ge- 
nerally thought by apium to mean 
the first sort, that being principally 
cultivated in gardens. But I ra- 
ther believe he means the smallage, 
of which an agreeable sort has been 
brought from Italy under the name 
of celeri, and is now cultivated al- 
most every where. The smallage 
or celeri delights in the banks of 
rivulets, and therefore our Poet says 
virides apio ripce, and potis gaude- 
rent rivis. Columella must also 
mean the same herb under the name 
of apium, without any epithet, when 
he says it delights in water, and 
should be placed near a spring: 
" Apium quoque possis plantis se- 
" rere, nee minus semine, sed prae- 
" cipue aqua laetatur, et ideo secun- 
(t dum fontem commodissime poni- 
" tur." Apium is thought to be 
derived from apes, because bees are 
fond of that plant. 

Tortusque per herbam cresceret in 
ventrem cucumis •.] - In the King's 
manuscript, and in the old Paris 
edition, printed in 1494, it is herbas, 
instead of herbam. 

The Poet gives a beautiful de- 
scription of the cucumber in a few 
words. The winding of the stalk 
along the ground, and the swelling 
of the fruit, excellently distinguish 
these plants. 



122. Sera comantem narcissum.~\ 
Sera is here put adverbially, which 
is frequent in Virgil. Pierius how- 
ever found sero in the Lombard 
and Medicean manuscripts : I find 
the same reading in the King's, the 
Bodleian, and in one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts. 

We have no reason to doubt, but 
that the narcissus of the ancients is 
some species of that which we now 
call narcissus or daffodil. Theo- 
phrastus says it has its leaves spread 
on the ground like the asphodel, 
but broader, like those of lilies : its 
stalk is void of leaves, and bears 
at the top a herbaceous flower, and 
a large dark coloured fruit inclosed 
in a membranaceous vessel of an 
oblong figure. This fruit falling 
down sprouts spontaneously, though 
some gather it for sowing. The 
roots also are planted, which are 
large, round, and fleshy. It flowers 
very late after the rising of Arctu- 
rus, and about the vernal equinox : 
o ^6 Ne&gx.itro'og, » to tet'giov' cl [aIv yeco 
rovra, oi §' hcttvo xxXtviri. ro fdv \tc\ tj? 
y*j QvhXov arQodihadts 'i%u, -z^Xecrvri^ov 
£g zroXv, xetBcixi^ v xgivavtoc. tov M 
xxvXh aQvXXoy plv, -aroadv £s, xctt \% 
eix^ov ro tfivS-os' xcu iv vftwi rtvt xo&ding 
h uyyiia xccfwov (tiyxv iv ficiXx. xoct ftU 
bocvoc ry %£oi$, o-%tpccrt £s srgo^cij. 
euros S* bc7rt7rTM -zroiii fi\etrn<riv ccvto- 
ftccrov. cv (ih eiXXoc xoct o-v^Xiyovres 
■zrqyvvovo-i, xoct rh $i£ecv <pvnvovinv. t%et 
ettyev o-oegxadn, ^oyyyAnv, piycLhw. o-^/iov 
Ct crtpod^a. pira, yc\% 'AgxTot/gov n ccvSncrts, 
xoct OTgj irtipegtcAv. Dioscorides says 
it has leaves like those of the leek, 
but smaller and narrower : the stalk 
is hollow, without leaves, above a 
span high, supporting a white 
flower, which is yellow on the in- 



360 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



SSriSrd2ffoSJ, cet or e the Narcissum, aut flexi tacuissem vimen acanthi, 

stalks of fhebendingacanthus, 



side, and sometimes purple; the 
root is white, round, and bulbous. 
The Fruit is in a membranaceous 
vessel, dark-coloured and long. 
The best sort grows in mountainous 
places, of a good smell, the others 
have a smell of leeks: Hcc^xirtrog' 
mot xcct rovro ag zri^i to xgivov Xzlgiov 
hceiXia-ecv. rot ft,h QvXXce, sr^jko-oi iotxv 

ht7FTo\ ^S XOtl piKgOTZQCt XOtTO, ZTOXlt, XXI 

eivangcc. xctvXov xsvov, aQvXXov, piita 
m&eifMig. Itf ov ItvB-og Xivkov. z<ra&zv 2g 
xp6xu%g, IV biav ?s irof>Qv(>6tidU' pt£& 
^g Xtvxn, hdoSiv rgoyyvXi), /SoX^oU^g. 
Kot(>7rbg ag lv vpht, piX»g, Tr^pvxyg' 
<pi>irxt o xccXXifog ev ogetvolg ronroig, iva- 
itig, o 2g Xomog 7r£et<rttyi. Pliny says 
the narcissus is a sort of purple 
lily, with a white flower, and a 
purple cup : it differs from lilies, in 
that its leaves come from the root : 
the best sort grows in the moun- 
tains of Lycia. There is another 
sort with a herbaceous cup. All 
of them flower late; namely, after 
the rising of Arcturus, and about 
the autumnal equinox : u Sunt et 
" purpurea lilia, aliquando gemino 
" caule, carnosiore tantum radice, 
<c majorisque bulbi, sed unius. Nar- 
" cissum vocant hujus alterum ge- 
<e nus flore candido, calyce purpu- 
<s reo. Differentia a liliis est et 
fS haec, quod narcissis folia in radice 
iC sunt, probatissimis in Lycia? mon- 
<e tibus. Tertio generi caetera ea- 
<c dem, calyx herbaceus. Omnes 
" serotini. Post Arcturum enim 
" florent, ac per gequinoctium au- 
" tumnum." And in another place 
he says, there are two sorts of nar- 
cissus used in medicine ; one with 
a purple, and the other with a her- 
baceous flower: " Narcissi duo ge- 
<e nera in usu Medici recipiunt, 
<e uriura purpureo flore, et alterum 
<c herbaceum." From what these 
ancient authors have said, we may 



gather a pretty good description of 
their narcissus. The roots are large, 
round, and fleshy, according to 
Theophrastus; white, round, and 
bulbous, according to Dioscorides. 
They all agree, that the leaves pro- 
ceed from the root, and that the 
stalk is naked. According to Theo- 
phrastus, the leaves are like those 
of Asphodel; according to Dios- 
corides, like those of leeks, but 
smaller and narrower, in which they 
agree very well. The flower, ac- 
cording to Theophrastus, is green- 
ish, according to Dioscorides white, 
and either yellow or purple within ; 
according to Pliny, it is white, with 
either a purple or greenish cup. 
What Dioscorides calls the inside, 
is what Pliny calls the cup ; for the 
flowers of the daffodil form a cup 
in the middle, which is sometimes 
different, sometimes of the same 
colour with the rest of the flower. 
The fruit, according to both the 
Greek authors, is membranaceous, 
long, and of a dark colour. Hence 
we may be sure, that some species 
of our daffodil is the narcissus of 
the ancients : and probably the nar- 
cissus albus circulo purpureo C. B. 
and the narcissus albus circulo cro- 
ceo minor C. B. may be the two 
sorts. The last of these seems to 
be the flower, into which the youth 
Narcissus was changed, according 
to Ovid : 

— — Croceum pro corpore florem 
Inveniunt, foliis medium cingentibus 
albis. 

There seems to be but one difficulty 
attending this determination: the 
species of daffodil known among us, 
flower early in the spring, and sel- 
dom later than in May; whereas 
Theophrastus, Virgil, and Pliny, 
place their season in September. 



GEORG. UB. IV. 361 

Pallentesque hederas, et amantes littora myrtos. S£^S?£S'J£S£ myrtleB 



But to this it may be answered; 
that in Greece, these flowers may 
appear much later in the year. Bus- 
bequius says he was presented with 
daffodils near Constantinople in 
December; and that Greece 
abounds with hyacinths and daffo- 
dils of a wonderful fragrance: 
" Unum diem Hadrianopoli com- 
* morati progredimur Constantino- 
<f polim versus jam propinquam, 
" veluti extremum nostri itineris 
<f actum confecturi. Per hasc loca 
<f transeuntibus ingens ubique flo- 
" rum copia offerebatur, Narcisso- 
" rum, Hyacinthorum et eorum 
" quas Turcae Tulipam vocant : 
" non sine magna admiratione nos- 
<c tra, propter anni tempus, media 
" plane hieme, floribus minime 
(C amicum. Narcissis et Hyacinthis 
" abundat Graecia miro fragrantibus 
" odore." Tournefort found the 
yellow daffodil common on the 
banks of the Granicus, in Decem- 
ber, and another sort about the 
same time, near Ephesus. 

123. Flexi vimen acanthi.] I have 
already mentioned the acanthus, in 
the note on book ii. ver. 11 9. It 
has_been there observed that there 
are two sorts of acanthus : one an 
Egyptian tree, and the other a gar- 
den herb, which the Poet means in 
this place. The acanthus of Theo- 
phrastus is the Egyptian tree, of 
which we have spoken already. 
The herb acanthus is described by 
Dioscorides. He says the leaves 
are much longer and broader than 
those of lettuce, divided like rocket, 
blackish, fat, and smooth : the stalk 
is two cubits high, of the thickness 
of one's finger, smooth, encom- 
passed near the top at certain dis- 
tances with long, prickly leaves, 
out of which proceeds a white 
flower: the seed is long and yellow: 



the roots are long, mucous, red, and 
glutinous: "Akocv^oc' « lp7rdx.(iv§u: 01 
de [MXccpCpvXXov , nctihiPU'tct, (p'vncci h 
irctgotdu'troig, xcc) h teiTPO^i<ri, koc) rt\»g- 

7roXXa> noil (AcocgOTiPot, S-gidxKog, lo-fciir- 
fAivot cog tu, Tt>v iifoftov, v7rof&iXccyet, A<- 
•kocpu,, hiicc' xetvXov telov, di7r^vv, nai- 
%og %(x,k.tvXov he diccfvi^ciraiv vrpog t*j ko- 
Pvtyy TrtgtuXvif&fMvov (pvhXct^iots wriv, 
emit xtrrx^iotg, VTroftfaiiriv , ux.oivSdidio'iv' 
e| e&v to uv$o$ Trpciiirau tevxov' C7viejA.a, 

V7T0[6VlKtS , f&ttlXlVOV. SvPCTOilVvs Oi *l X.i- 

QctXv. fyZcu %\ vmuri yXt<r%(>oci , fAi%a- 
2us, 'ipTrvpoiy [ActK^cci. The acantha 
of Dioscorides is generally allowed 
to be that plant which is cultivated 
in gardens, under the name of 
acanthus sativus or brank-ursine. 
Most botanists also are of opinion, 
that it is the acanthus of Virgil: 
but the chief difficulty is, to shew 
the reason, why he calls it flexi vi- 
men acanthi. These words seem to 
express a twining plant. I believe 
we must entirely depend upon a 
passage of Vitruvius, for the solu- 
tion of this difficulty. This famous 
author tells us, that a basket co- 
vered with a tile having been acci- 
dentally placed on the ground over 
a root of acanthus, the stalks and 
leaves burst forth in the spring, 
and spreading themselves on the 
outside of the basket, were bent 
back again at the top, by the cor- 
ners of the tile. Callimachus, a fa- 
mous architect, happening to pass 
by, was delighted with the novelty 
and beauty of this appearance, and 
being to make some pillars at Co- 
rinth, imitated the form of this 
basket surrounded with acanthus, 
in the capitals. It is certain that 
there cannot be a more lively image 
of the capital of a Corinthian pillar, 
than a basket covered with a tile, 
and surrounded by leaves of brank- 
3 A 



362 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



fhebft^Swer/ofVbanf, Namquesub CEbaliaememinimeturribusaltis 125 
Qua niger humectat flaventia culta Galesus 
Corycium vidisse senem : cui pauca relicti 



where black Galesus moistens 
the yellow fields, I saw a 
old Corycian who had a few 



ursine, bending outward at the top. 
To this Virgil may allude in the 
words now under consideration. 
But then we must not translate 
them with Dryden, 



The winding trail 

Of bear's foot, 



by 



trailing 



for it 1 
plant. 

124. Pallentesque hederas.~] In 
some of the old editions it is pollen- 
tes without que. See the note on 
book ii. ver. 258. 

Amantes littora myrios.~] Myrtles 
delight in growing near the sea- 
shore. Thus in the second Geor- 
gick: 

Littora myrtetis laetissima. 

125. (Ebalice.] " (Ebalia is La- 
" conia, whence Castor and Pollux 
" are called by Statius (Ebalidce 
" Fr aires." Servius. 

The poet means Tarentum by the 
lofty towers of (Ebalia, because a 
colony from Laconia, under the con- 
duct of Phalantus, came to Calabria 
and augmented the city of Taren- 
tum. 

126. Niger. ~] Schrevelius, follow- 
ing Erythraeus, reads piger. 

Galesus.^] Galesus is a river of Ca- 
labria, which flows near Tarentum. 

127. Corycium.] Some think that 
Corycius is the name of the old man 
here spoken of. But it seems more 
probable, that it is the name of his 
country: for Corycus is the name 
of a mountain and city of Cilicia. 
Pompey had made war on the Ci- 
licians, of which people some being 
received into friendship, were 
brought by him, and planted in 
Calabria, about Tarentum. Virgil's 



old man may therefore reasonably 
be supposed to be one of Pompey's 
Cilicians, who had these few acres 
given him near Tarentum, and per- 
haps improved the culture of gar- 
dens in Italy, from the knowledge 
he had obtained in his own country. 
127. Relicti.'] Servius interprets 
this word forsaken and contemptible; 
which interpretation he confirms by 
observing that no land could be 
more contemptible, than that which 
is fit neither for wines, corn, nor 
pasture. Thus also Grimoaldus 
paraphrases it, * f cui rus erat par- 
" vum atque desertum." La Cerda 
contends that it means hereditary, 
observing that relinquere is a word 
used in making wills, and confirms 
this interpretation by a passage in 
Varro, which he thinks the Poet 
here designs to imitate. That au- 
thor speaking of two brothers, who 
had a small farm left them by their 
father, uses the word relicta. Ruaeus 
however renders it deserti. May 
also follows Servius : 

Few akers of neglected ground undrest. 

Addison also translates it, 

A few neglected acres. 

Dryden is of the same opinion, 
Lord of few acres, and those barren too. 

Dr. Trapp follows La Cerda, 
A few hereditary acres : 

" Left him," says he, " by his rela- 
" tions. This adds much to the 
« c grace of the narrative. The little 
f < land he had, and which he so 
" improved, was his own : he paid 
" no rent for it." This interpreta- 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



363 



acres of forsaken ground : nor 
was his land rich enough for 



Jugera ruris erant ; nee fertilis ilia juvencis, 

« T i the plough, nor good for pas- 
NeC peCOl'l ODDOrtUna SegeS, neC COmmOda ture, nor proper for wines. 
r rr ° Yet he planting a few pot- 

Baccho. 
Hie rarum tamen in dumis olus, albaque cir 



Yet he planting a few pot- 
herbs among the bushes, and 
white 



cum 



130 



tion has its beauty, but I believe 
it is not Virgil's meaning. The old 
Corycian, being one of the Cilicians 
settled in Calabria by Pompey, his 
land there could not be hereditary. 
Nor could the person here spoken 
of be the son of one of those Cili- 
cians, born in Calabria, because he 
calls hira an old man. Those peo- 
ple had not been brought over 
above forty years, when Virgil was 
writing his Georgicks, and not quite 
fifty years, when the Poet died. 
And he speaks of his seeing this 
old man, as of a thing that had 
passed long ago. We must there- 
fore, with Servius, translate relicti, 
forsaken. The land was neither fit 
for vineyards, corn, nor pasture, 
and therefore the Calabrians neg- 
lected it. But this old man knew 
how to make use of it, by con- 
verting it into a garden, and apiary. 
Virgil therefore shews the Romans, 
that a piece of land might be fit 
neither for corn, which is the subject 
of his first book, nor vines, of which 
he treats in his second, nor cattle, 
which take up the third; and yet 
that by the example of this foreigner, 
they might know how to cultivate 
it to advantage. 

129. Seges.~\ See the note on 
book ii. ver. 9,66. 

130. Hie.'] Pierius says it is hinc 
in the Lombard manuscript. 

In damis.~\ Ruaeus, and after him 
Dr. Trapp, think in dumis is put 
for in loco prius dumoso. 

Albaque circum lilia.~\ The white 
lilies are those, which were most 
celebrated and best known among 
the ancients. Theophrastus speaks 



of red lilies only by hear-say : EjVeg 
$)} xacSet7rt£ (ponrh inoc Koti tto^v^u p 
Thus our Poet celebrates them here 
for their whiteness, and also in the 
twelfth iEneid : 

Mixta rubent ubi Lilia multa 

Alba rosa. 

In the tenth Eclogue he mentions 
the largeness of lilies : 

Florentes ferulas et grandia lilia quas- 
sans. 

This may be meant either of the 
flower, which is very large, or of 
the whole plant, which, according 
to Pliny, exceeds all other flowers 
in tallness : te Nee ulli florum ex- 
" celsitas major, interdum cubito- 
" rum trium." This author has 
given an excellent description of 
the white lily, in the words imme- 
diately following. He says the neck 
is always languid, and unable to 
sustain the weight of the body, 
which elegantly describes the bend- 
ing down of the flower. It is of 
a remarkable whiteness, the leaves 
[that is, the petals] being streaked 
on the outside, growing gradually 
broader from a narrow origin, in 
form of a cup, of which the brims 
bend outward, having slender 
threads, and saffron summits in the 
middle : " Languido semper collo, 
" et non sufEciente capitis oneri. 
<e Candor ejus eximius, foliis foris 
" striatis, et ab angustiis in latitu- 
" dinem paulatim sese laxantibus, 
" effigie calathi, resupinis per am- 
" bitum labris, tenuique filo et 
" semine, stantibus in medio crocis. 
" Ita odor colorque duplex, et alius 
3 a2 



364 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



vS.STescSp^r Lilia > verbenasque premens, vescumque papaver, 



" calycis, alius staminis, differentia 
" angusta." By crocis I take this 
author to mean the yellow apices or 
summits ; and by tenuijilo et semine 
perhaps he means the stile and 
ovary. The lilies were planted by 
the old Corycian for the sake of his 
bees: for Pliny mentions them 
among the flowers in which those 
insects delight; " Verum hortis 
" coronamentisque maxime alvearia 
•' et apes conveniunt, res praecipui 
" qusestus compendiique cum favit. 
" Harum ergo causa oportet serere 
" thymum, apiastrum, rosam, vio- 
" las, HHum." Virgil also speaks 
of them in the sixth iEneid, as 
being the delight of bees : 

Ac veluti in pratis, ubi apes sestate 

serena 
Floribus insidunt varus, et Candida cir- 

cum 
Lilia funduntur. 

Thick as the humming lees, that hunt the 

golden dew ; 
In summers heat on tops of lilies feed, 
And creep 'within their bells, to suck the 



Dbyden. 

131. Verbenas.'] The Verbena, 
from whence our English name 
Vervain is derived, was a sacred 
herb among the Romans. We read 
in the first book of Livy how this 
herb was used in the most ancient 
league, of which the memory was 
preserved among them : that be- 
tween Tullus Hostilius, the third 
king of Rome, and the Albans. 
The form was this: The Fetialis 
said to Tullus, Do you command me, 
O king, to strike a league with the 
Pater patratus of the people of Alba ■? 
when the King had commanded 
him, he proceeded thus, King, I 
demand the Sagmina of you. The 
King answered, Take it pure. Then 
the Fetialis brought the pure herb 



from the tower. .... The Fetialis 
was M. Valerius, and he appointed 
Sp. Fusius to be the Pater patratus, 
touching his head and hair with the 
Vervain : " Fcedera alia aliis legi- 
" bus, caeterum eodem modo omnia 
" fiunt. Turn ita factum accepi- 
" mus : nee ullius vetustior foederis 
" memoria est. Fetialis regem 
" Tullum ita rogavit: Jubesne me 
te rex cum patre pairato populi Albani 
C( foedus feri're ? jubente rege, Sag- 
" mina, inquit, te, rex, posco. Rex 
" ait, Puram tollito. Fetialis ex arce 
tC graminis herbam puram attulit. 
" . . . . Fetialis erat M. Valerius, is 
' « patrem patratum Sp. Fusium fecit, 
" verbena caput capillosque tan- 
'< gens." Pliny says expressly, that 
by sagmina and verbence were meant 
the same thing, namely, the herb 
from the tower, plucked up with 
its earth : and that it was used by 
the ambassadors, when they were 
sent to reclaim any thing that had 
been carried away by the enemies ; 
and that one of them was therefore 
called Verbenarius : " Interim for- 
" tiusaugeturautoritas: quae quanta 
" debeatur etiam surdis, hoc est 
<e ignobilibus herbis perhibebitur. 
" Siquidem autores imperii Rbmani 
" conditoresque immensum quid- 
<e dam et hinc sumpsere, quoniam 
" non aliunde sagmina in remediis 
" publicis fuere, et in sacris legati- 
" onibusque verbense. Certe utro- 
" que nomine idem si^iincatur, hoc 
" est, gramen ex arce cum sua terra 
' « evulsum : ac semper et legati 
" cum ad hostes clarigatumque mit- 
" terentur, id est, res raptas clare 
" repetitum, unus utique Verbena- 
' ' rius vocabatur." In another place 
he calls it Hierabotane, Peristereon, 
and Verbenaca ; and there adds, that 
it was used in brushing the table of 
Jupiter, and in purifying houses, 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



365 



Regiim aequabat opes animis ; seraque revertens 
Nocte domum, dapibus mensas onerabat in- 

emptis. 
Primus vererosam, atque autumnocarpere poma; 
Et cum tristis hyems etiamnum frigore saxa 135 
Rumperet, et glacie cursus fraenaret aquarum, 



equalled in his mind the 
wealth of kings : and return- 
ing home late at night, loaded 
his table with unbought dain- 
ties. He was the first to ga- 
ther roses in the spring, and 
fruits in autumn: and when 
sad winter even split the rocks 
with cold, and with ice re- 
strained the course of the ri- 
vers, 



He says there are two sorts of it, 
one full of leaves, which is called 
the female, and the male with 
fewer leaves. The branches of both 
are many, slender, a cubit long, and 
angular. The leaves are like those 
of the oak, but smaller, narrower, 
and more deeply divided. The 
flower is glaucous. The root long 
and slender. It grows in watery 
places. Some do not distinguish 
them, reckoning only one sort, be- 
cause both of them have the same 
effects : " Nulla tamen Romanae no- 
<{ bilitatis plus habet quam Hiera- 
" botane. Aliqui Peristereon, nos- 
" tri Verbenacam vocant. Haec est 
" quam legatos ferre ad hostes in- 
" dicavimus. Hac Jovis mensa 
" verritur, domus purgantur, lus-» 
" tranturque. Genera ejus duo 
" sunt : foliosa, quam foeminam 
"putant: mas rarioribus foliis. Ra- 
M muli utriusque plures, tenues, 
" cubitales, angulosi. Folia minora 
te quam Quercus, angustioraque, di- 
" visuris majoribus, flos glaucus, 
f< radix longa, tenuis. Nascitur ubi- 
" que in planis aquosis. Quidam 
" non distinguunt, sed unum om- 
" nino genus faciunt, quoniam utra- 
" que eosdem effectus habeat." The 
vervain was used in incantations, 
to which the Poet alludes in the 
eighth Eclogue : 

Effer aquam, et molli cinge haec altaria 

vitta : 
Verhenasque adole pingues, et mascula 

thura. 

It was thought to be good against 
Serpents and venomous bites, and 



was recommended as a sovereign 
medicine for a great variety of dis- 
eases. 

131. Tremens^ It has been ob- 
served, in the note on book ii. ver. 
346, that virgulta premere properly 
signifies the increasing of a plant 
by layers. But here premens must 
be understood of planting in general. 
Dryden seems to understand it 
bruising. 

Yet lab'ring well his little spot of ground, 
Some scatt'ring pot-herbs here and there 

he found. 
Which cultivated with his daily care, 
And hruis'd with vervain, were his fru- 
gal fare. 
Sometimes white lilies did their leaves 

afford, 
With wholesome poppy ^flowers, to mend 
his homely board. 

This whole passage is erroneously 
translated; for the Poet does not 
speak of bruising vervain, but of 
planting it. Th^ vervain and lilies 
do not seem to have been planted 
for pot-herbs, but the vervain for 
medicinal uses, and the lilies for 
the bees : nor were the lilies planted 
for the sake of their leaves, but of 
their flowers. The poppies also 
were not planted for their flowers, 
but for their seeds. 

Vescumque papaver7\ See the 
notes on book i. ver. 78 and 212. 

135. Etiamnum7\ The common 
reading is etiam nunc. I follow 
Heinsius. 

" In some manuscripts it is etiam- 
(t 7ium t which word is frequently 
" used by Pliny; from the Greek 
11 hi **i vvv" Pierius. 



366 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



in that very season he could 
crop the soft acanthus, accus- 
ing the slow summer, and the 
loitering zephyrs. He there- 
fore was the first to abound 
with pregnant bees, and plen- 
tiful swarms; and to squeeze 
the frothing honey from the 
combs: he had limes and 
plenty of pines j and as many 
fruits as shewed themselves 
in early blossom, so many did 
lie gather ripe in autumn. 
He also transplanted into rows 
the far-grown elms, 



Ille comam mollis jam turn tondebat acanthi, 
iEstatem increpitans seram, zephyrosque mo- 

rantes. 
Ergo apibus foetis idem atque examine multo 
Primus abundare, et spumantiacogerepressis 140 
Mella favis : illi tilias, atque uberrima pinus ; 
Quotque in flore novo pomis se fertilis arbos 
Induerat, totidem autumno matura tenebat. 
Ille etiam seras in versum distulit ulmos, 



137. Hie comam mollis jam turn 
tondebat acanthi.^ " Achilles Sta- 
<c tius observes, that this verse is 
" read in all the ancient manuscripts 
" of Virgil thus : 

" Hie comam mollis jam tondebat Hy» 
" acinthi. 

" and the like number, that is, a 
<f short syllable being made long, 
" after the fourth foot, is used by 
« Virgil himself, in the sixth 
<c Eclogue : 

" Mollifultus Hyacintlw: 

" and by Catullus : 

" Jam veniet virgo, jam dlcetur Ilyme- 



"and 

** Turn Thetis humanos non despexit Hy- 
" menceos." 

La Cerda. 

I have not met with this reading 
in any of the manuscripts that I 
have collated. Addison translates 
this verse ; 

He then would prune the tend'rest of his 
trees. 

But the acanthus here spoken of is 
an herb, and by comam is meant 
the leaves. The epithet mollis is 
added, to express the softness and 
tenderness of these leaves. Thus 



also this herb is called by Theo- 
critus vy£og "Ax.otv6og. Or it may 
serve to distinguish this acanthus 
from another species, which grows 
wild, and has very prickly leaves. 

139. Ergo apibus foetis.'] The 
Foet always takes care in his di- 
gressions, not to forget the principal 
subject. Therefore he mentions in 
this place the benefits, which ac- 
crued to the old Corycian, from this 
extraordinary care of his garden, 
with regard to his bees. 

141. Tilia?.] Columella says 
limes are hurtful to bees: tc At 
" Tiliae sola? ex omnibus sunt no- 
" centes." 

Pinus.'] Columella also men- 
tions the pine, as agreeable to bees : 
" Post haec frequens sit incrementi 
"majoris surculus, et rosmarinus, 
tc et utraque cythisus. Est enim 
' ' sativa, et altera suae spontis, item- 
" que semper virens Pinus." 

144. Ille etiam, &c] Most of the 
commentators and translators seem 
not to have rightly apprehended the 
meaning of this passage. The Poet 
plainly designs to express the great 
skill of his old acquaintance, in re- 
moving large trees. Every one of 
the trees here mentioned has an 
epithet added to it, to signify its 
being well grown. The elms are 
called sera, that is, late, old, or for 
grown: the pears are called hard; 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



367 



Eduramque pyrum, et spinosjam pruna feren- %^^*gg%* £g 

i A C to bear plumbs, and the plane- 

teS, X'kO tree wBtnit spread a shade 

. . ., over those who drank under 

Jamque mmistrantem platanum potantibus urn- it. 
bras. 



the thorns are said to be already 
bearing plumbs ; and the planes are 
expressly said to be already so large, 
as to spread a shade, sufficient to 
cover those who sit under them. 
May seems to have understood the 
Poet's meaning : 

He could to order old grown elms trans- 
pose, 

Old peare trees hard, and black thorne 
bearing sloes, 

The plaine tree too, that drinking shade 
bestowes. 

Dr. Trapp's translation is not very 
deficient : 

He too in ranks dispos'd the late grown 

elms, 
And the hard pear-tree, and the plumb 

ev'n then 
Laden with fruitage; and the plane 

which yields 
To Bacchus' sons its hospitable shade. 

But Addison has quite lost the sense 
of his author : 

In rows his elms and knotty pear-trees 
bloom, 

And thorns ennobled now to bear a 
plumb ; 

And spreading plane-trees, where su- 
pinely laid 

He now enjoys the cool and quaffs be- 
neath the shade : 

And Dryden : 

He knew to rank his elms in even rows ; 
For fruit the grafted pear-tree to dispose : 
And tame to plumbs the sourness of 

the sloes. 
With spreading planes he made a cool 

retreat, 
To shade good fellows from the summer's 

heat. 

145. Eduram.] See the note on 
book ii. ver. 65. 



Spinosjam pruna forentes.] "The 
" plumb-tree is called spinus 3 in the 
<e masculine gender ; for thorns 
" [sentes] are called hoe spinas'* 
Servius. 

I have translated spinos in this 
place thorns, because the plumb is 
a thorny tree ; and because our wild 
sort, which bears the sloes, is called 
the black thorn. 

146. Platanum."} See the note 
on book ii. ver. 70. 

Umbras.] Schrevelius, Paul Ste- 
phens, and some others read um- 
bram. Pierius found umbras in all 
the ancient manuscripts. It is um- 
bras in all those which I have 
collated. 

Before we leave these verses, 
wherein the Poet speaks of trans- 
planting great trees, it may not be 
improper to set down what our 
famous Evelyn has said on this 
subject. 

" A great person in Devon plant- 
" ed oaks as big as twelve oxen 
" could draw, to supply some de- 
" feet in an avenue to one of his 
" houses: as the Right Honourable 
u the Lord Fitz-Harding, late Trea- 
" surer of his Majesty's Household, 
u assured me ; who had himself 
" likewise practised the removing of 
" great oaks by a particular address 
et extremely ingenious, and worthy 
u . the communication. Choose a 
" tree as big as your thigh, remove 
" the earth from about him; cut 
fe through all the collateral roots, 
" till with a competent strength 
" you can enforce him down upon 
" one side, so as to come with your 
' ' ax at the top root ; cut that off, 
" redress your tree, and so let it 



368 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



finedTn^ pa n^ a ow^p C a°ce", Verum haec ipse equidem spatiis exclusus iniquis 
LTi£?fJfor othSswtreat Praetereo, atque aliis post me memoranda relin- 

of after me. 

quo. 



" stand covered about with the 
" mould you loosened from it, till 
" the next year, or longer if you 
cf think good, then take it up at a 
<{ fit season ; it will likely have 
(C drawn new tender roots apt to 
H take, and sufficient for the tree, 
*' wheresoever you shall transplant 
(X him. Some are for laying bare 
<f the whole root, and then dividing 
" it into four parts, in form of a 
te cross, to cut away the interjacent 
" rootlings, leaving only the cross 
tc and master-roots that were spared 
"to support the tree; and then 
** covering the pit with fresh mould 
" (as above) after a year or two, 
" when it has put forth, and fur- 
■f nished the interstices you left 
f f between the cross-roots, with 
" plenty of new fibres and tender 
" shoots, you may safely remove 
" the tree itself, so soon as you 
" have loosened and reduced the 
<e four decussated roots, and short- 
" ened the top roots ; and this ope- 
" ration is done without stooping 
" or bending the tree at all : and 
" if in removing it with as much 
" of the clod about the new roots 
<c as possible, it would be much 
"better." 

147. Equidem.^] In the King's 
manuscript, and in the old Nuren- 
berg edition, it is quidem. 

Exclusus. ,] It is disclusus in some 
old editions : but all the ancient 
manuscripts have exclusus. 

148. Aliis.] Servius says the Poet 
means here Gargilius Martialis. 
This author is often quoted by Pal- 
ladius ; but I do not remember that 
he is mentioned by Columella. 
Hence I conclude,, that he did not 



exist in the days of Virgil, and 
therefore could not be particularly 
meant by our Poet, unless he had 
the gift of prophecy, as some have 
imagined. Columella, in his tenth 
book, has endeavoured to supply, 
what Virgil has omitted, concern- 
ing gardening. His poem begins 
thus: 

Hortorum quoque te cultus, Sylvine, 

docebo, 
Atque ea, qua? quondam spatiis exclusus 

iniquis, 
Cum caneret laetas segetes, et munera 

Bacchi, 
Virgilius nobis post se memoranda reli- 

quit. 

Among the moderns, Rapin, a 
learned Jesuit, has written a fine 
poem on gardens, in four books. 
He also professedly treads in the 
footsteps of Virgil : 

Vatibus ignotam nam me novus incitat 

ardor 
Ire viam, magno quae primum ostensa 

Maroni, 
Extremo cum vela trahens sub fine labo- 

rum, 
Italia? pingues hortos quae cura colendi 
Ornaret, canere agricolis, populoque pa- 

rabat. 
Fas mihi divini tantum vestigia vatis 
Posse sequi ; summoque volans dum 

tendit Olympo, 
Sublimem aspicere, et longe observare 

tuendo. 

Post me memoranda.'] " In some 
" manuscripts it is post hcec memo- 
" randa : but the Lombard and 
" some others have post commemo- 
te randa. In the Medicean and some 
f< others it is post me memoranda, 
" which reading seems to have been 
" admitted by Columella." Pierius. 

I find post memoranda in one of 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



369 



Nunc age, naturas apibus quas Jupiter ipse 
Addidit, expediam : pro qua mercede canoros 
Curetum sonitus crepitantiaque sera secutae, 151 
Dictseo caeli regem pavere sub antro. 
Solae communes natos, consortia tecta 
Urbis habent, magnisque agitant sub legibus 
aevum; 



Now I shall proceed to shew 
what manners Jupiter has 
added to the bees ; for what 
reward they, following the 
loud sounds, and tinkling 
brass of the Curetes, fed the 
king of heaven under the 
Dictaean den- They alone 
have children in common, and 
the united buildings of a city, 
and pass their hves under 
established laws: 



the Arundelian manuscripts, post 
hac memoranda in one of Dr. Mead's, 
and post commemoranda in the Bod- 
leian, and in the other Arundelian 
and Dr. Mead's manuscripts. Ruaeus, 
and most of the editors, has post 
commemoranda. But it is post me 
memoranda in the King's, and in 
the Cambridge manuscripts, which 
reading is admitted also by Hein- 
sius, Paul Stephens, Masvicius, and 
others. 

149. Nunc age, &c] Here the 
Poet begins to speak of the polity 
of the bees, by which all their 
actions contribute to the public 
good. He tells us in this passage, 
that Jupiter bestowed this extraor- 
dinary economical genius on the 
bees, as a reward for the service 
they did him, when an infant, 
by feeding him with their honey, 
in the cave where he was concealed 
from the devouring jaws of his 
father Saturn. 

160. Addidit.] This word ex- 
presses, that these manners did not 
originally belong to the bees, but 
were added by the favour of Ju- 
piter. 

Pro qua mercede.] Servius inter- 
prets this, for what favour or labour. 
La Cerda interprets mercede merit, 
because merces and mercor are de- 
rived from mereor. This interpre- 
tation, he says, is the only one that 
agrees with this passage, for the 
Poet is speaking of the merit, by 
which the bees were admitted to 
assist the Curetes in nursing Ju- 



piter. But, as was just now ob- 
served, the Poet seems rather to 
mean, that he will speak of the 
reward which they had for their 
service. 

Canoros Curetum sonitus crepitan- 
tiaque (Era.] According to the fable, 
Saturn intended to have devoured 
the infant Jupiter, to avoid which, 
he was concealed among the Cu- 
retes, the clangor of whose brasen 
armour and cymbals, as they danced, 
would drown his cries : thus Lucre- 
tius : 

Dictaeos referunt Curetas, qui Jovis ilium 

Vagitum in Creta quondam occultasse 
feruntur, 

Cum pueri circum puerum pernice cho- 
rea 

Armati in numerum pulsarent aeribus 
aera, 

Ne Saturnus eum malis mandaret adep- 
tus, 

iEternumque daret matri sub pectore 
vulnus. 

These represent those armed priests, who 

strove 
To drown the tender cries of infant Jove ; 
By dancing quick they inade a greater 

sound, 
And heat their armour, as they danced 

around ; 
Lest Saturn should have found and eat the 

boy, 
And Ops for ever mourn'd her prattling 

joy- 

Creech. 

152. Dictceo sub antro^j 

DictcB or Dictceus mons is a mountain 
of Crete, where Jupiter was said 
to be concealed. 

154. Magnisque agitant.] In one 
3b 



3?0 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and they alone have a coun- 
try of their own. and certain 
habitations : and being mind- 
ful of the future winter, they 
labour in summer, and lay up 
what they get for the public 
use. For some are employed 
in getting food, and by agree- 
ment labour in the fields : 
some within the house lay 
tears of daffodils, and tough 
glue from the barks of trees, 
for the foundations of the 
combs; and then suspend the 
tenacious wax: others bring 
up the growing young, the 
hope of the nation: others 
work the purest honey, and 
distend their cells with liquid 
nectar. There are some to 
whose lot is fallen the guard- 
ing of the gates: and these 
by turns consider the waters 
and clouds of heaven, or un- 
lade the burdens of those who 
return, or forming a troop 



Et patriam solae et certos novere penates ; 155 
Venturasque hyemis memores, aestate Iaborem 
Experiuntur, et in medium quaesita reponunt. 
Namque aliae victu invigilant, et foedere pacto 
Exercentur agris : pars intra septa domorum 
Narcissi lacrymam, et lentum de cortice glu- 
ten i 6 o 
Prima favis ponunt fundamina : deinde ten aces 
Suspendunt ceras : alias spem gentis adultos 
Educunt foetus : aliae purissima mella 
Stipant, et liquido distendunt nectare cellas. 
Sunt, quibus ad portas cecidit custodia sorti : 165 
Inque vicem speculantur aquas, et nubila caeli : 
Aut onera accipiunt venientum, aut agmine facto 



of Dr. Mead's manuscripts, and in 
some of the printed editions, it is 
magnis agitant, without que. 

155. Et patriam sola et certos no- 
vere penates."] " In some manu- 
t( scripts we read a patriam sola, et 
" certos novere penates. For a is 
" not always an interjection of la- 
" menting, but sometimes signifies 
*' admiration. But that a is written 
" without an aspiration has been 
<f elsewhere proved from Probus. 
tc In the Lombard manuscript, there 
" is no et in the second place ; but 
" it is read Et patriam soke certos 
" novere penates. But those who 
" take away et here, deprive the 
" verse also of all its elegance." 

PlERIUS. 

156. Laborem,] In one of the 
Arundelian manuscripts it is labores. 

157. In medium.] See the note 
on book i. ver. 127. 

158. Victu.] Victu is here put 
for victui. 

Pacto.] In the King's manuscript 
it is parco. 



159. Intra.] In one of the Arun- 
delian manuscripts it is inter. 

Septa.] In one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts it is tecta. 

160. Narcissi lacrymam.] I have 
spoken of the Narcissus, in the note 
on ver. 122. It has there been ob- 
served that the flowers of Narcissus 
or daffodil form a cup in the middle. 
These cups are supposed to contain 
the tears of the youth Narcissus, 
who wept to death. To this Milton 
alludes in his Lycidas ; 

Bid Amaranthus all his beauty shed, 
And daffodillies fill their cups with tears, 
To strew the laureat herse where Lycid 
lies. 

Lentum de cortice gluten] Pierius 
found ledum in the Lombard and 
some other ancient manuscripts. 
The same reading is in the King's 
manuscript. 

165. Portas cecidit.] In one of 
the Arundelian manuscripts it is 
portam tendit. 

167. Aut onera accipiunt> &c] 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



,.• 



Ignavum fucos pecus a prassepibus arcent. 
Fervet opus, redolentque thymo fragrantia mella. 
Ac veluti, lentis Cyclopes fulmina massis 170 
Cum properant, alii taurinis follibus auras 
Accipiunt redduntque, alii stridentia tingunt 
iEra lacu ,* gemit impositis incudibus iEtna. 
Illi inter sese magna vi brachia tollunt 
In numerum 3 versantque tenaci forcipe fer- 
rum. 175 

Non aliter, si parva licet componere magnis, 



drive out the drones, a slug- 
gish race, from the hives. 
The work, glows, and the 
fragrant honey is scented with 
thyme. AswhentheCyclopt 
hasten to form thunder-bolts 
out of the stubborn mass ; 
some receive the air and 
drive it out again from bel- 
lows made of bull hides: 
others plunge the hissing 
brass in water : iEtna groans 
with the weight of their an- 
vils. They lift their arms 
with great force in tuneful 
order ; and turn the iron with 
their griping tongs. Just so, 
if I may compare great 
things with small, 



This and the two following lines 
are repeated in the first iEneid. 

168. Ignavum fucos pecus a pr<z- 
sepibus arcent.] The drones are a 
sort of bees without stings, which 
do not assist the others in their 
labour. On this account it is ge- 
nerally thought, that they are ex- 
pelled by the labouring bees. Some 
affirm that the drones are the 
males, and that, after the work of 
generation is over, they are driven 
from the hive by these amazons. 

Ruaeus renders fucos, guespes; but 
I believe guespes signify wasps. The 
drones are called bourdons. 

In one of the Arundelian manu- 
scripts it is urgent instead of arcent. 

169. Thymo.] See the note on 
ver. 112. 

Fragrantia.] Pierius found fia- 
grantia in the Lombard manuscript. 
The same reading is in both Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts. 

170. Ac veluti, &c] The Poet 
compares the labour of the bees to 
that of the Cyclops, in forming 
thunder-bolts; and then speaks of 
the various offices which are assign- 
ed to these political insects in their 
republic, and the cautions which 
they use in defending themselves 
against rising winds. . 

173. JEtna.] It is antrum in one 
of the Arundelian manuscripts. 



175. In numerum.] That is, in a 
certain order, making a sort of har- 
mony with the regular strokes of 
their hammers of different weights. 
We learn from Jamblichus, that the 
sound of the smith's hammers 
taught Pythagoras to invent the 
monochord, an instrument for mea- 
suring the quantities and propor- 
tions of sounds geometrically. This 
philosopher, observing that the di- 
versity of sound was owing to the 
size of the hammers, suspended four 
equal strings, sustaining weights of 
twelve, nine, eight, and six pounds. 
Then striking alternately the strings 
which sustained the twelve and six 
pounds, he found that the diapason 
or octave was formed by the pro- 
portion of two to one. The twelve 
and eight pound weights taught 
him that the diapente or fifth was 
in the proportion of three to two j 
and the twelve and nine pounds 
that the diatessaron or fourth was 
as four to three. The whole pas- 
sage is too long to be here inserted : 
therefore I must refer the curious 
reader, for farther satisfaction, to the 
twenty-sixth chapter of Jamblichus, 
de vita Pythagoras. 

176. Non aliter, si parva licet com- 
ponere magnis.] This comparison 
of the bees to the labouring Cyclops, 
has by some been thought very im- 

3 B 2 



372 



P. VIRGILI1 MARONIS 



does an innate desire of grow- 
ing rich prompt the Athenian 
bees, each of them in then- 
proper office. Theelderhave 
the care of their towns, repair 
the combs, and erect the ar- 
tificial edifices. But the 
younger return wearied 
home, late at night,with their 
thighs laden with thyme. 
They feed also at large on 
arbutes, and hoary willows, 
and casia, and glowing saf- 
fron, and fat limes, and deep 
coloured hyacinths. 



Cecropias innatus apes amor urget habendi, 
Munere quamque suo. Grandsevis oppida cura?, 
Et munire favos, et daedala fingere tecta. 
At fessae multa referunt se nocte minores, 180 
Crura thymo plenae; pascuntur et arbuta passim, 
Et glaucas salices, casiamque, crocumque ru- 

bentem, 
Et pinguem tiliam, et ferrugineos hyacinthos. 



proper, as being rather ridiculous 
than great. But Mr. Pope is of 
another opinion, who, in his post- 
script to the translation of the 
Odyssey, judiciously observes, that 
there is a great difference between 
the actions of irrational beings, and 
the low actions of such as are ra- 
tional, when they are represented 
in a pompous style. <s One may 
" add, that the use of the grand style 
" on little subjects, is not only ludi- 
<c crous, but a sort of transgression 
" against the rules of proportion 
" and mechanics : it is using a 
" vast force to lift a feather : I be- 
u lieve, now I am upon this head, 
" it will be found a just observa- 
" tion, that the low actions of life 
(< cannot be put into a figurative 
i( style without being ridiculous, 
" but things natural can. Meta- 
" phors raise the latter into dignity, 
" as we see in the Georgicks ; but 
" throw the former into ridicule, as 
" in the Lutrin. I think this may 
" be very well accounted for ; 
" laughter implies censure ; inani- 
'• mate and irrational beings are 
" not objects of censure ; therefore 
" these may be elevated as much 
** as you please, and no ridicule 
" follows : but when rational be- 
tf ings are represented above their 
" real character, it becomes ridicu- 
" lous in art, because it is vicious 
" in morality. The bees in Virgil, 
" would be ridiculous by having 



fC their actions and manners repre- 
"' sen ted on a level with creatures 
" so superior as men; since it 
" would imply folly or pride, which 
" are the proper objects of ridicule." 

177. Cecropias.'] The Poet calls 
the bees Cecropias, from Cecrops 
king of Attica, where the honey 
was famous. 

178. Grandcevis oppida cures.] 
This passage is taken from Aris- 
totle, who observes, that the older 
bees work within doors, and thence 
become more hairy j but that the 
younger sort go abroad, and there- 
fore are smoother : Tav 2s (i&irluv 
cu [&lv 'zs-gicrQvri^at to. ihtco l^yd^ovrxif 
x&i Ssccruxi im diet to iitru fciniy. cu 2s 
vzcti zfcahv (pigova, kcci ittrt Mion^ut. 

179. Fingere.^ In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is fgere. 

181. Crura thymo plente.'] The 
hairiness of the bees' legs serves to 
retain the juices which they gather 
from flowers. 

Arbuta.] See the notes on book i. 
ver. 148, and on book iii. ver. 300. 

182. Glaucas salices.] See the 
note on book ii. ver. 13. 

Casiam.] See the note on book 
ii. ver. 213. 

Crocumque ruhentem7\ The petal 
of the saffron flower is purple, but 
the three divisions of the style, which 
are the only part in use, are of the 
colour of fire. 

183. Pinguem tiliam.] See the 
note on book ii. ver. 449. 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 373 

Omnibus una quies operum, labor omnibus unus. andliuSauheLmftilife: 



Ferrugineos hyacinthos.] There 
are many flowers commonly known 
in gardens under the name of Hya- 
cinth, but none of them agree with 
the description which we find of 
this flower among the poets, who 
represent it as having the letters A 
I inscribed on its petals. Thus 
Moschus, in his epitaph on Bion, 
calls upon the Hyacinth to take 
more marks of A I on its petals : 

Nt/v vdxivfa Xuku t« era. y^dfJt,fJt>a\» J zui 

ztXtov A I, A I, 
AuftGctn ffoTi wireiXoifft' xotXos TiSvttM 

fAiXtJtrus. 

The poets feign that the boy Hya- 
cinthus, who was unfortunately 
killed by Apollo, was changed by 
that deity into a Hyacinth, which 
therefore was marked with these 
notes of lamentation to express 
Apollo's grief. Thus Ovid : 

Semper eris mecum, memorique haerebis 

in ore. 
Te lyra pulsa manu, te carmina nostra 

sonabunt : 
Flosque novus scripto gemitus imitabere 

nostros. 

■ Thou shalt "with me abide 
And ever in my memory reside. 
Our harp and^jverse thy praises sliall re- 
sound: 
And in thy flowre my sorrow shall be 
found. 

Sandys. 

It is also feigned, that the same 
flower arose from the blood of Ajax, 
when he slew himself ; those letters 
being half the name of that hero. 
Thus Ovid : 

Rubefactaque sanguine tellus 

Purpureum viridi genuit de cespite 

florem, 
Qui prius OEbalio fuerat de vulnere 

natus. 
Litera communis mediis pueroque viro- 

que 
Inscripta est foliis: haec nominis, ilia 

querela. 



The bloud that fell, 



A purple flowre ingendercd on the ground : 
Created first by Hyacinthus' wound. 
The tender leaves indifferent letters paint ; 
Both of his name, and of t/ie gods com- 
plaint. 

Sandys. 

To this Virgil seems to allude in 
the third Eclogue : 

Die quibus in terris inscripti nomina re- 
gum 

Nascantur flores ; et Phyllida solus ha- 
beto. 

Nay tell me first, in what new region 
springs 

A flower that bears inscribed the names of 
kings : 

And thou shalt gain a present as divine 

As Phoebus self for Phillis shall be thine. 
Dryden. 
I must not forget to observe, that the 
vaccinium mentioned by our Poet 
in the second and tenth Eclogues 
is not different from what in 
other places he calls hyacinthus: 
the latter being the Greek name, 
and the former a Latin name de- 
rived from it. For the iEolians, 
who affected to change the v into 
the diphthong ov, as $vydrq£ into 
S-ovyccrvigj wrote ovctKtv6tov and oveexmtov 
for the diminutive vccxhOtov; and 
evctxmtov in Roman letters is vacci- 
nium. This opinion is confirmed 
by a line in the tenth Eclogue $ 

Et nigras violae sunt et vaccinia nigra ; 

which is a literal translation of a 
line in the tenth Idyllium of Theo- 
critus : 

K«2 <ro 't'tv p'tKccv tvji, xai a. <ygct<r% uaxtvdes. 

Here Virgil himself translates vdxtv~ 
fog vaccinium. The form of the 
Hyacinth is particularly described 
by Ovid : 

Ecce cruor, qui fusus humi signaverat 

herbam, 
Desinit esse cruor : Tyrioque nitentior 

ostro 



374 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



■SSSJSS^SSt'dSy! Mane ruunt portis; nusquam mora: rursus 



and when 



easdem 



185 



Flos oritur, formamque capit quam lilia, 

si non 
Purpureus color huic, argenteus esset in 

illis. 
Non satis hoc Phoebo est ; is enim fuit 

auctor honoris. 
Ipse suos gemitus foliis inscribit ; et A I, 

AI 
Flos habet inscriptum, funestaque litera 

ducta est. 



Behold! the bloud which late the grass 

had dide, 
Was now no lloud : from whence aflowre 

full blown 
Far brighter than the Tyrian scarlet 

shone: 
Which seemed the same, or did resemble 

right 
A lillie : cltanging but the red to white. 
Not so contented (for the youth received 
That grace from Phoebus) in the leaves he 

weav'd 
The sad impression of his sighs: A I! 

AI! 
They now in funeral characters display. 
Sandys. 

We here learn, that the flower in 
question was shaped like a lily, was 
of a red colour, and was marked 
with the letters A I. I have more 
than once mentioned the difficulty 
of precisely determining the colours 
mentioned by the ancients. Ovid 
calls the flower of the Hyacinth 
Tyrio nitentior ostro, and purpureus. 
Virgil calls it in this place ferrugx- 
neus, and in the third Eclogue he 
calls it suave rubens ; and in the 
eleventh iEneid he speaks of its 
great brightness : 

Qualem virgineo demessum pollice florem 
Seu mollis violae, seu languentis Hya- 

cinthi ; 
Cui neque fulgor adhuc, necdum sua 

forma recessit. 

Hence we can only gather, that the 
colour of this flower is a deep shin- 
ing red. I take the epithet ferru- 



gineos in this place only to express 
the deepness of the colour. Thus 
in the first Georgick it is used to 
signify the dusky redness of the sun, 
after the murder of Julius Ceesar : 

Cum caput obscura nitidum ferrugine 
texit. 

See the note on book i. ver. 467. 
In the sixth iEneid the boat of 
Charon is called ferruginea, where 
no doubt it means dusky : 

Et ferruginea subvectat corpora cymba. 

In the ninth JSneid the son of Ar- 
cens is said to be 

Ferrugine clarus Ibera ; 

that is, adorned with a deep purple 
garment dyed in Spain : and in the 
eleventh book it is joined with the 
Tyrian colour : 

Ipse peregrina ferrugine clarus et ostro. 

It is probable that all these several 
epithets, purpureus, suave rubens, 
ferrugineus, mean a sort of crim- 
son, the colour of human blood, 
the Hyacinth being feigned to have 
risen from the blood of Hyacinthus, 
and afterwards from that of Ajax, 

Having said thus much of the 
Hyacinth of the Poets, it will be 
time to consider what flower will 
agree with the description which 
they have given of it. 

Various sorts of flowers have 
been proposed, by the botanical 
critics, for this Hyacinth, the dis- 
cussing of all which would be too 
tedious in this place. Some insist 
on the lark's-spur, which does not 
seem to me to bear any resemblance 
of a lily, nor do the letters inscribed 
appear, till the flower has been 



/' 




H ¥.\ c ji r^ t m v s : P © E T I C I" s . 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



375 



Vesper ubi e pastu tandem decedere campis 
Admonuit, turn tecta petunt, turn corpora curant. 
Fit sonitus, mussantque oras et limina circum. 
Post, ubi jam thalamis se composuere, siletur 



the evening admonishes them 
to return at length from feed- 
ing in the fields, then they 
seek their habitations, and 
then they take care of their 
bodies. They make a mur- 
muring noise, and hum about 
the sides and entrance of the 
hives. Afterwards, when they 
are laid down on their beds, 
they are silent 



curiously dissected. Others propose 
the red lily, but this, as was ob- 
served before, was a flower little 
known among; the ancients, nor is 
the colour right. Others mention 
Xyris, or stinking Gladdon, the 
flowers of which are not sufficiently 
beautiful. Others, with more pro- 
bability, think the Gladiolus or 
Corn-flag to be the flower in ques- 
tion ; but I have never been able 
to discover in that flower the letters 
A I. I am pretty well satisfied, that 
the flower celebrated by the Poets, 
is what we now are acquainted with 
under the name of Lilium floribus 
reflexis, or Martagon, and perhaps 
may be that very species which we 
call Imperial Martagon. The flowers 
of most sorts of Martagons have 
many spots of a deeper colour; and 
sometimes I have seen these spots 
run together in such a manner, as 
to form the letters A I, in several 
places, which I have caused to be 
represented in the figure. 

The translators have grievously 
erred in translating the names of 
the plants here spoken of. May 
translates arbuta, wildings; and ca- 
siam, cinnamon, and renders ferrugi- 
neos very improperly pale, and glau- 
cas, green. 

They feed upon 



Wildings, green willows, saffron, cinna- 
mon, 
Pale hyacinths, and fruitful linden trees. 

Addison omits the arbuta, and in- 
serts the balmy reed instead of them ; 
he translates casiam, lavender ; and 
hyacinthos, violets .- 



On lavender, and saffron buds they feed, 
On bending osiers, and the balmy reed ; 
From purple violets and the teile they 

bring 
Their gathered sweets, and rifle all the 

spring. 

Dryden's translation is not more 
exact. 

He spoils the saffron flow'rs, he sips the 

blues 
Of vi'lets, wilding blooms, and willow 

dews. 

Dr. Trapp has succeeded much bet- 
ter, only he has fallen into a com- 
mon error of taking the casia to be 
lavender. 

They suck the Arbutus, and willows grey, 
Sweet lavender, and crocus 1 yellow flow'r, 
The purple hyacinth, and gummy lime. 

184. Omnibus una quies, &c.j| 
This passage is taken from Aristotle, 
who says, that in the morning they 
are all silent, till one of them calls 
the rest up with two or three hums: 
then they all go out to work. And 
when they return, they are at first 
tumultuous, but grow more quiet 
by degrees, till at last one flies 
buzzing round the rest, as if it com- 
manded silence, upon which they 
are all immediately quiet: "O^ixi 
Til o-ia>7ra<riv ', iag civ yJcc \yiiqv\ fiop&vroto'ct 
Tig *t rgig' Tort $ Itt sgyov aQ^oui 7cirovTccr, 
Kctt IhQoucxi TToiXit, Sapv&ovcri to irparov 
Kxret pix.gov 1? jjTTflv, sag ccv pta •nrsqi'M- 
rofihvi fiop'oKo-y, a>Wsg o~n[Acctvov<ri& xeJiv- 
duv. ut \\cMrivqg <riwnra<ri. 

187. Turn.] In the old Nuren- 
berg edition it is dum, 

188. Limina.] In the old Nuren- 
berg edition it is lumina. 



376 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



all night, and a sweet sleep 
possesses their wearied limbs. 
But when rain impends, they 
do not depart far from their 
hives, nor do they tmst the 
sky, when east winds ap- 
proach : but drink the water 
in safety near the walls of 
their city, and try short ex- 
cursions ; and take up little 
stones, as boats that totter on 
the tossiag wave take bal- 
last: with these they poise 
themselves through the emp- 
ty clouds. But of all the 
properties of bees this most 
of all will cause your wonder, 



In noctem, fessosque sopor suus occupat ar- 
tus. 190 

Nee vero a stabulis pluvia impendente recedunt 
Longius, aut credunt caelo adventantibus Euris ; 
Sed circum tutae sub mcenibus urbis aquantur, 
Excursusque breves tentant, et saepe lapillos, 
Utcymbae instabilesfluctu jactantesaburram, 195 
Tollunt : his sese per inania nubila librant. 
Ilium adeo placuisse apibus mirabere morem, 



190. Sopor suus.~\ Servius inter- 
prets this ipsis aptus. 

194. Scepe lapillos, &c.] This is 
taken from Aristotle : "Oretv ell olve- 
(tog jj f/kyxg-, (p'zgovtri Xt'6ov t<$ Ixvroug, 

Sgf&OL 7c£og TO ffViVfAX. 

197- Ilium adeo placuisse, &c] 
The Poet's account of the genera- 
tion of bees is by no means consist- 
ent with the doctrine of the modern 
philosophers, who assert with great 
probability, that no animal, nor 
even plant, is produced without a 
concurrence of the two sexes. How- 
ever the doctrine of equivocal ge- 
neration was so generally admitted 
by the ancients, that it is no wonder 
the Poet should assent to it. We 
find this opinion related by Aristo- 
tle, in his fifth book of the history 
of animals. " There are various 
ft opinions," says the philosopher, 
<( concerning the generation of bees. 
" For some deny that they either 
<e copulate or bring forth their 
" young, thinking that they gather 
" their produce. Nor are these 
u agreed about the flower from 
c< which they gather them : but 
" some will have it to be from the 
" honey- wort, some from the reed, 
<e and others from the olive ; which 
<( last, in favour of their opinion, 
" urge that there are more swarms 
" of bees in proportion as the olive- 
" trees are fruitful. Some are of 



" opinion, that only the drones are 
" produced after this manner j but 
te that the bees are produced by 

" the leaders Others will 

" have it, that they are produced 
" by copulation, and affirm that the 
" drones are the males, and the 
" bees the females :" Tlig dl rw 
yivitriv ruv fctXirrm ov rov cevrov r^owov 
7rdvTZ$ v7roXxp&oivov<nv. ol fxkv y«g <pet<riv 
ov t/ktuv, oticfe o%tvi<r6eti recg ftsXtrrxg, 
xXXx (pipit rov yovov. Keti Qigziv ol fdv 
u7ro rov eiv6ov$ rov KetXvvrgov y ol 5e 
U7T0 rov otvdovg rov Kc&Xciftov, uXXot $1 
U7to rov clvDovg rm Ixxictg, y,cu <nnfx.ilov 
Xtyovtriv, on civ IXuiav (po^a. yzvqroct, 
rori xx) Irftot utpUvrcti •xXiitrrx' ol de 
<P<zirt rov fjt.lv rZv K'Sitywav <p'i^iiv ecvroig 
yovov, u7ro rtvog vMg rav ei(>v[Av6)v } rov Is 
rav (AiXirrav rUruv rovg vyifiovecg. . . 
ol £g (p&xriv o%ivi<r6ott, xou 
zivxi uppivetg fjt.lv rovg wrffivag, SnXn'xg <ti 
retg fciXirrxg. Pliny has almost 
translated the words of Aristotle. 
But he has added, that the bees 
certainly sit like hens, and that the 
young bee at its first appearance is 
a worm : " Quod certum est, gal- 
" linarum modo incubant. Id quod 
te exclusum est, primum vermiculus 
" videtur candidus, jacens transver- 
" sus, adhaerensque ita ut pascere 
" videatur." But the modern phi- 
losophers have been more happy in 
discovering the nature of these 
wonderful insects. The labouring 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



377 



Quod nee concubitu indulgent, nee corpora 

segnes 
In venerem solvunt, aut foetus nixibus edunt ; 
Verum ipsae e foliis natos et suavibus herbis 200 
Ore legunt: ipsae regem parvosque Quirites 
Sufficiunt, aulasque et cerea regna refingunt. 
Saepe etiam duris errando in cotibus alas 
Attrivere, ultroque animam sub fasce dedere: 
Tantus amor florum, et generandi gloria mel- 

lis. 205 

Ergo ipsas quamvis angusti terminus aevi 
Excipiat, neque enim plus septimaducitur aestas, 



that they do not copulate, or 
enervate their bodies by lust, 
or labour to bring forth their 
young. But they themselves 
gather their young from 
leaves and sweet herbs. They 
themselves also produce their 
king, and their small citizens : 
and repair their p;ilaces and 
waxen realms. Often also, 
whilst they wander over the 
hard rocks, have they bat- 
tered their wings, and volun- 
tarily yielded up their lives 
under their burthens: so 
great is their love of flowers : 
such their glory in making 
honey. Therefore, though 
their age has but a narrow 
bound, for they do not live 
above seven years, 



bees do not appear to be of either 
sex: the drones are discovered to 
have the male organs of genera- 
tion ; and the king is found to be 
of the female sex. This king, or 
rather queen, is wholly employed 
in the increase of the family, laying 
several thousand eggs every sum- 
mer, from each of which is hatched 
a small white worm, which in due 
time changes either to a bee or a 
drone. The kings, the labouring 
bees, and the drones, are all promis- 
cuously hatched from these eggs : 
and the same order of nature has 
lately been observed in the wasps. 

198. Concubitu.'] Concubitu is 
used for concubitui, as before victu 
for victui. 

200. Verum ipsce e foliis natos.'] 
So I read with Heinsius, all the ma- 
nuscripts that I have collated, and 
most of the editors. In several of 
the oldest editions it is verum ipsce 
natos foliis. Paul Stephens and 
Schrevelius read verum ipsce foliis 
natos without e, which reading Pi- 
erius also admitted ; who observes, 
that in some manuscripts it is ipsa 
natos foliis; and ipsce e foliis in the 
Roman copy, which he thinks an 
elegant reading. La Cerda reads 
ipsce foliis natos. 



By foliis perhaps the Poet means 
the petals or leaves of flowers; for 
Aristotle speaks wholly of flowers. 

202. Refingunt.'] Servius and 
Pierius read refigunt, but this last 
commentator thiuks refingunt better, 
as he found it in the Roman, the 
Medicean, and in some other of the 
older manuscripts. It is refigunt in 
the Cambridge, the Bodleian, one 
of the Arundelian, and one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts, which reading 
is admitted by most of the oldest 
editors, and by Grimoaldus, Paul 
Stephens, La Cerda, Schrevelius, 
and others. But Heinsius, Ruseus, 
Masvicius, and most of the later 
editions have refingunt. 

203. Scepe etiam duris, &c] 
These three lines seem to be mis- 
placed : for here they interrupt the 
sense. They seem to come in more 
properly after ver. 196. I am in- 
debted for this observation to the 
learned Sir Daniel Molyneux, Ba- 
ronet, F.R. S. 

206. Angusti.] Some read an- 
gustus; but Pierius found angusti in 
all the manuscripts that he could 
procure. 

207. Neque enim plus septima du- 
citur cesias.] Aristotle says that 
bees live six years, and that some 

3 c 



378 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



fmmortaVand ffi?f«SSS At g enus immortale manet, multosque per annds 

their family subsists for many o^ ^ c a i a 

years, and they can number otat iortuna domus, et avi numerantur avorum. 

grandfathers of grandfathers. . 

Besides neither Egypt, nor JPraeterea regem non siciEgyptus, et ineens 210 

great Lydia, nor the people GJ r 

of the Parthians, nor the Me- 
dian Hydaspes 



Lydia, nee populi Parthorum, aut Medus Hy- 
daspes 



last seven ; but if a swarm subsists 
nine or ten years, it is thought very 
happy : Btog 21 tZv piXnTuv '£tv '{%• 
zvtai 21 mm ftiXtTTwv text Itttx stjj £anv. 

'E7r<«l> 21 FfMlVOS 2iX ( UiVYj lTi\ ZVViX (J 2iKX, 

tu 2okiH 2ixyiyiVKcr6xt. Columella says 
that no swarms can be brought to 
live above ten years : " Durantque, 
" si diligenter excultse sunt, in an- 
" nos decern, nee ullum exarren 
" hanc setatem potest excedere, 
*' quamvis in demortuarum locum 
" quotannis pullos substituant. 
te Nam fere decimo ab internitione 
" anno, gens universa totius alvei 
" consumitur." 

210. PrcEterea regem, &c] In 
this paragraph the Poet compares 
the obedience of the bees to their 
king with that of the most servile 
nations, the Egyptians, Lydians, 
Parthians, and Medes ; which be 
takes from Aristotle. " The kings," 
says the philosopher, " never go 
" abroad to feed or on any other 
<c occasion, without being accom- 
" panied by the whole multitude : 
" and if, when they are abroad, the 
" king happens to stray, they all 
" search after him with the utmost 
" diligence, till they find him. We 
". have been informed also, that, 
<( when he is unable to fly, the peo- 
" pie carry him, and that they all 
" depart when he dies : or if they 
" do tarry, that they make only 
" combs and not honey: and that 
*■' nothing can hinder them all from 
" departing in a short time :" O; 2t 
fiece-iXtig cv ttztovtxi 'i\a , Ixv pin piTX 
oXov tov torjAov, out Z7rt fiottxw, out xX- 
Xag' Qxiri 21 xxi Ixv XTCoyrXxvy&Vi o d<picr- 
fiog } uvofcnvovtrct? fUiTxSziv lug av zvputi 



tov qyipovx ty\ oo-py XiyiTXi oi y.xi 

tyiqiG&Xl XVTOV V7T0 TOV \<TfA.0V 0X00) ZTZTi- 
<r6xt ftl) 2vVYlTSil, KXt ixv X7fOXXVTXt } 

X7roXXvo-6xi tov xtpitrpov' Ixv £' x^x 

%£0V0V TtVX 2lCt{&ZlVCJ<ri, KXt JMJg/flS OV 7T01- 

vic-an, (Jt/iXi ovx, iyyivi<r6xi, kxi uvretg 

tx%v x7roXXvo-8xi. But notwithstand- 
ing the general opinion concerning 
the allegiance of these insects, 
Swammerdam, a Dutch writer, con- 
tends that their government is a 
republic, which subsists by mutual 
affection, without any despotic or 
monarchical power: "Non tamen 
" sicco pede praeterire potuimus 
" Rempublicam Apum, quae solo 
(C amore, sine ulla potestate despo- 
" tica aut monarchica, continetur." 
The French Academicians, under 
the reign of Louis XIV. remarked 
with much complaisance, that 
among the bees the privilege of 
generation belongs only to the royal 
family; all the subjects being con- 
demned to barrenness. Many ob- 
servations equally useful might be 
made on the economy of these in- 
sects, I wonder none of our own 
writers will contend for a mixed go- 
vernment among them ; or be polite 
enough to shew the happiness of be- 
ing under a female administration. 

JEgyptus.~] The Egyptians were 
remarkable adorers of their mo- 
narchs ; many of the heathen gods 
being the deified kings of that 
people. 

Ingens Lydia. ] Lydia was a re- 
gion of Asia minor, famous for 
their rich king Croesus, and their 
golden river Pactolus. 

211. Populi Parthorum."] F»r- 
thia wa9 a region of Asia, bounded 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



379 



Observant. Rege incolumi mens omnibus una 

est: 
Amisso rupere fidem ; constructaque mella 
Diripuere ipsse, et crates solvere favorum. 
Ille operum custos: ilium admirantur, et om- 

nes 215 

Circumstant fremitu denso, stipantque fre- 

quentes ; 
Et saepe attollunt humeris, et corpora bello 



are 10 obsequious to their 
king. Whilst the king is 
6afe, they remain united: but 
when he is dead, they dissolve 
their society, pull down the 
fabric of their honey, and 
tear in pieces the structure 
of their combs. He is the 
guard of their works: him 
they adTiire, and surround 
with frequent shoutings, and 
crowd about him : and often 
carry him on their shoulders, 
and for his sake expose their 
bodies in war, 



on the west by Media, on the 
north by Hyrcania, on the east by 
Ariana, and on the south by the 
deserts of Carmania. These people 
are reported to have been so sub- 
missive to their king, as to kiss 
his foot, and to touch the ground 
with their mouths, when they ap- 
proached him. 

Medus Hydaspes.'} The Hydaspes, 
of which we find such abundant 
mention among the ancient writers, 
was a river of India. But here 
Virgil seems to speak of a Median 
river of the same name, which 
however I do not find mentioned 
by any of the ancient geographers. 
Servius says expressly it is a river 
of Media, but on what authority I 
do not know. La Cerda says that 
the Poet justly calls this river Me- 
dian, because it washes Media be- 
fore it empties itself into the In- 
dus. If this were true, it would 
have been a river of too much con- 
sequence, to be passed over in si- 
lence, as it must flow through a 
greater extent of land than the In- 
dus itself. But no such river seems 
to be known by any geographer, 
either ancient or modern. Ruaeus 
says that Virgil is singular in plac- 
ing this river in Media, which I 
believe is true. But Catrou, in his 
note on this passage, says the Hy- 
daspes was a river of Persia, and 



gives us a caution, not to confound 
this river with the Indian Hydas- 
pes : l( L'Hydaspe £toit un fleuve 
" de Perse, peu eloigne* de la ville 
" de Susa, Tune des capitales de la 
tl Perse. 11 ne faut pas confondre 
" ce fleuve Hydaspe avec un autre 
" de meme nom, -qui fut dans les 
(< Incles, le terme des conqu&tes 
" d 'Alexandre.'' I wish this learned 
Father had favoured us with some 
good authority to support what he 
says. The river meant by him 
seems to be the Choaspes, which 
perhaps Virgil might, with a poe- 
tical liberty, call the Hydaspes of 
the Medes. This river rising in 
Media flows through Susiana, near 
the city Susa, one of the capitals of 
the Persian empire. The water of 
it was so very famous, that accord- 
ing to Plutarch, the Persian kings 
would drink of no other. Err« tuv 

ciM6z$, on to rov "Xcoi<r7Cov f&ovov vlta^ 

otxovphviv. The reader may find in 
Xenophon abundant instances of 
the extraordinary obedience which 
was paid by the Medes and Persians 
to their monarch. 

212. Mens omnibus una est.] Est 
is wanting in one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts. 

216. Frequentes.] It is frementes 
in the Bodleian manuscript. 
3c2 



380 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and seek a glorious death by 
wounds. Some be" 
these appearances, 
lowing these examples 



l s!m? bSn d g e fedS Objectant, pulchramque petunt per vulnera 

earances, and fol- 

mortem. 

His quidam signis, atque hsec exempla secuti 



219- His quidam s'tgnis, &c] The 
Poet observes, that some philoso- 
phers, considering the great saga- 
city of these insects, have supposed 
them to partake of the divine mind; 
and hence takes occasion to speak 
of the Platonic system of a soul 
animating the universe. 

At the latter end of the second 
book our Poet declares himself an 
admirer of Epicurus; and in this 
place he plainly follows the doc- 
trines of Plato, in which he has 
been accused of inconsistency. But 
let it be observed, that he has not 
shewn himself attached to the whole 
Epicurean philosophy. The doc- 
trine of that philosopher, which 
Virgil adopts, is, that happiness con- 
sists in a constant tranquillity of 
mind ; and that a wise man ought 
to lay aside the fear of death. He 
had indeed in his younger days been 
a more strict follower of Epicurus, 
as we may gather from the sixth 
Eclogue. But perhaps in his riper 
years he might, as well as his friend 
Horace, lay aside some of those 
doctrines. The belief of a divine 
mind governing the universe, and 
of a future state, plainly appears 
in this Georgick, and in the sixth 
u3Eneid. It may be objected, that 
he does not here propose the Pla- 
tonic system as his own opinion, 
because he says only that some 
have advanced this doctrine. But 
then it must be considered, that he 
has put the same sentiments in the 
mouth of Anchises, in the Elysian 
fields, which he would not have 
done, if he had not thought them to 
be true. I know it will be replied, 
that the commentators are almost 
unanimously of opinion, that Virgil 



himself declares what he has said 
of the future state, in the sixth 
iEneid, to be a fiction, which he 
plainly expresses by the passage of 
iEneas through the ivory gate. 
But it seems improbable, that the 
Poet should bestow so much pains 
in composing that fine account of 
the infernal regions; should take 
an opportunity of making so de- 
licate a compliment to Augustus 
and the Roman people, and at last 
conclude with giving them to un- 
derstand, that there was no truth 
in what he had been saying. The 
transparent gate of horn was that 
through which the true shades were 
sent; and the opake gate of ivory 
served for the passage of false vi- 
sions : 

Sunt geminae somni portee ; quarum al- 
tera fertur 

Cornea, qua veris facilis datur exitus 
umbris : 

Altera candenti perfecta nitens elephanto ; 

Sed falsa ad caelum mittunt insomnia 
manes. 

Two gates of sleep there are : the one of 

horn, 
Through which with ease the real phantoms 

pass ; 
With polished elephant the oilier shines, 
Through which the Manes send false 

dreams to light. 

Dr. Tkafp. 

JLneas therefore being a solid body, 
and no real shade, was not sent out 
at the gate appropriated to true 
visions, but at that through which 
false visions, being bodies of a 
more dense substance than the true, 
were accustomed to pass : 

His ubi turn natum Anchises unaque 

Sybillam 
Prosequitur dictis, portaque emittit ebur- 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



381 



Esse apibus partem divinae mentis, et haustus 220 
iEtherios dixere. Deum namque ire per omnes 
Terrasque, tractusque maris, caelumque pro- 
fund urn. 
Hinc pecudes, armenta, viros, genus omne fera- 

rum, 
Quemque sibi tenues nascentem arcessere vitas. 
Scilicet hue reddi deinde ac resoluta refer ri 225 



have said that the bees are 
endowed with a part of the 
divine mind, and with aethe- 
rial influences. For their opi- 
nion is that the Deity passe* 
through the who e earth, the 
extent of the sea, and the 
height of heaven. Thathence 
the flocks, the herds, men, 
and all sorts of wild beasts, 
n.:y all creatures, at their 
birth draw in their lives. 
That all of them, when dis- 
solved, are hither returned : 



Here then the sire Anchises with his son, 
And his prophetic guide, in such discourse 
Confers ; and sends them through the iv'ry 
gate. 

Dr. Tkapp. 

Had he been let out at the horn 
gate, the whole must have been 
taken for a vision, though a true 
one : but iEneas being yet a living 
body, and no proper inhabitant of 
those regions, had been admitted, 
before the separation of his soul 
from his body, to converse with 
spirits, not in a vision, but in reality. 
The opake gate was therefore 
the most proper for the passage of 
a soul, whilst yet encumbered with 
a terrestrial body. ' 

220. Partem divince mentis!] Ho- 
race uses an expression like this, 
for the human soul : 



Quin corpus onustum 



Hesternis vitiis mentem quoque praegra- 

vat una, 
Atque affigit humo divince particulam 

auras. 

221. Deum namque ire per omnes, 
&c] We are informed by Plutarch, 
in his second book of the opinions 
of philosophers, that all of them, 
except Democritus, Epicurus, and 
the rest, who assert the doctrine 
of a vacuum and atoms, held the 
universe to be animated : 0/ ph «AAoi 
7ca>wi$ iff^/vftov rov 7c.oo-f.10v xcci irpovolot 

SlOlXOVfAiVOV. AYifAOK^tTOS Si KOi) 'liwtXOV- 

po? xoii otoi tu aTopu iwyovVTCtt xeci to 



xivov, ovti Sf#tyv%0Vj ours Trgovoietdioixtt- 
o-^ut) (pve-u Sz nvt othoya. This opi- 
nion of the soul of the universe is 
farther inculcated by our poet in 
the sixth iEneid : 

Principio, caelum, ac terras, camposque 

liquentes, 
Lucentemque globum lunae, Titaniaque 

astra 
Spiritus intus alit, totamque infusa per 

artus 
Mens agitat molem, et magno se corpore 

miscet. 
Know first, that heav'n and earth's c6m- 

pactedframe, 
And flowing waters, and the starry 

flame, 
And both the radiant lights, one common 

soid 
Inspires, and feeds, and animates the 

whole. 
This active mind infus'd through all the 

space, 
Unites and mingles with the mighty mass. 
Djryden. 

Thus also iEschylus : 

ZiVi l?iv alStig, %i»S a"i yjj, £iy$ V ov£u.vof t 
Zius <roi zrccvju : 

And Lucan, 

Jupiter est quodcunque vides, quocunque 
moveris. 

224. Arcessere vitas."] Pierius 
found accersere in some ancient ma- 
nuscripts. In one of Dr. Mead's it 
is accessere. The King's manuscript 
has vitarn instead of vitas. 

225. Ac resoluta.] In the King's 
manuscript it is ad resoluta : in one 
of Dr. Mead's it is cere soluta. 



382 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



that there is no place for 
death, that they fly alive 
among the stars, and rise up 
to the nigh heaven. If at any 
time you would open their 
august mansion, and the ho- 
ney preserved in their trea- 
suries, first gargle your mouth 
with water and spirt it out, 
and drive in persecuting 
smoke with your hand. 



Omnia : nee morti esse locum, sed viva volare 
Sideris in numerum, atque alto succedere caelo. 
Si quando sedem augustam, servataque mella 
Thesauris relines ; prius haustu sparsus aquarum 
Ora fove, fumosque manu praetende sequaces. 



226. Nee morti esse locum.'] Ac- 
cording to Plutarch, it was the opi- 
nion of Pythagoras and Plato, that 
the soul did not die, but that, when 
it left the body, it returned to the 
kindred soul of the universe : the 
Stoics thought the souls of the igno- 
rant perished with their bodies ; and 
that those of the wise endured till 
the conflagration. Democritus and 
Epicurus were of opinion, that the 
soul and body died together : Py- 
thagoras and Plato held, that the 
irrational part perished, but not the 
rational ; the soul being (though 
not God himself, yet) the work of 
the eternal God : Ilv6xyo^xg, TIXoctm, 
uty^xprov sivxt rhv ^v%vv' Ifyovcxv yap 
lU to rov -zrxvTog •vj'v^v xvx^copuv "z^p\g 
to opoyivis' ol XrcSixoi, Ifyovrxv tZv <ra- 
f&eiTM vxotyzpir&Xi, tw plv ao-fon^'ipx* 
clpx roTg o-vyKgipcari yivi<r6xi' {txvtw 
Se sivxt rav aKxdivrav) rhv til lo-^v^orl- 

(>XV, oYot 1ft ZTlp\ TOV$ 0~0$0V$ X.XI piftPl 

t?s ixwvpooo-iois. AypoxgiTog, *E^tKOvP t og, 

(p6xPT>)V, T» 0-COfiXTl GrVWtOt.tyfolpO[A,i))W- 

TlvQxyopxg, nXccrav, to ph XoytKoVy 
aty&xprov, (xxi yag t\i tyvyjvi ov $ih 
aAA' 'i^yov tov aid to v S'goy vttx^uh) to 
^g xXoyov, tydxprov. 

227. Succedere.'] Pierius found 
se condere in the Roman manu- 
script. 

228. Si quando, &c] In this pa- 
ragraph the Poet speaks of the two 
seasons of taking the honey, and of 
the passionate temper of the bees. 

Augustam.] Most editors read 
angustam, as Pierius found it in the 
Lombard and in some other manu- 
scripts. It is angustam also in all 
the manuscripts which I have col- 



lated, except one of Dr. Mead's. 
But Servius, Grimoaldus, Paul Ste- 
phens, Heinsius, Schrevelius, and 
Masvicius read augustam. It is au- 
gustam also in the old Nurenberg 
edition, and in two old editions 
printed at Venice in folio, in 1475 
and 1476. 

229. Prius haustu sparsus aqua- 
rum ora fove.] This passage is very 
variously read. Servius, Grimo- 
aldus, Heinsius, Ruaeus, Masvicius, 
and some others, approve the read- 
ing which I have followed. Both 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts have haustus 
and ore fove, which are admitted by 
the three old editions quoted in the 
preceding note, and by Paul Ste- 
phens, La Cerda, and Schrevelius. 
Servius says sparsus is used for spar- 
gens, one participle for another, 
which is not unusual among the 
poets. The construction therefore 
will be Prius fove ora haustu aqua- 
rum spargens, First gargle your mouth 
with water spirting it. The same 
commentator observes that some 
read orefave, an expression used by 
the ancients to command a religious 
silence, as ore favete omnes in the 
fifth iEneid, and favete Unguis in 
Horace. According to this inter- 
pretation the sense will be, First 
sprinkling them with a draught of 
water, observe silence. In one of the 
Arundelian manuscripts it is ore 
fare, which I suppose was intended 
for orefave. 

230. Fumosque manu prcetende se- 
quaces.] It is a custom to drive bees 
with smoke. Columella speaks 
largely on this subject. 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



383 



Bis gravidos cogunt foetus, duo tempora messis, 
Taygete simul os terris ostendit honestum 
Pleias, et oceani spretos pede reppulit amnes : 
Aut eadem sidus fugiens ubi piscis aquosi 



Twice do they compress the 
plenteous honey; there are 
two;seasons of taking it ; one 
as soon as the Pleiad Taygete 
has shewn her beauteous face 
to the earth, and has spumed 
the despised waters of the 
ocean : or when the same 
star, flying from the constel- 
lation of the watery fish, 



231. Fce'tus.'] The commentators 
agree, that by this word not the 
young bees but the honey is meant. 

Duo tempora messis.] The Poet 
seems to follow Aristotle, who says 
there are two seasons of making 
honey, in spring and in autumn : 
Tj] cil rov [tiXiTog l^ycurlcx. dirlot xctt^ot 
iWiVj i*g xxi ftzT07ra>£ov. Varro men- 
tions three seasons 5 the first at 
the rising of the Pleiades, the se- 
cond about the latter end of sum- 
mer, before the whole constellation 
Bootes rises, the third after the set- 
ting of the Pleiades : " Eximendo- 
" rum favorum primumputant esse 
" tempus vergiliarum exortu ; se- 
" cundum sestate acta, ante quam 
" totus exoriatur Arcturusj tertium 
" post vergiliarum occasum." Co- 
lumella mentions the twenty-second 
or twenty-third of April, and the 
twenty-ninth of June : u Tertio 
" calendas Julii ventosa tempestas. 
" His diebus eadem quae supra. 
<c Sed et viciam in pabulum secare 
u oportet . . . alvos castrare, quas 
" subinde nono quoque aut decimo 
et die ad calendas Maias considerare 
" et curare oportet." Pliny speaks 
of May and July : " Dies status in- 
<e choandi, ut quadam lege naturae, 
" si scire aut observare homines ve- 
" lint, trigesimus ab educto exa- 
" mine : fereque Maio mense in- 
" cluditur haec vindemia. Alterum 
" genus est mellis aestivi, quod ideo 
" vocatur horaeum, a tempestivitate 
t% praecipua, ipso sirio explendes- 
" cente post solstitium diebus tri- 
" ginta fere." Palladius places the 
time of taking the honey in June. 

232. Taygete."] Taygete was one 



of the Pleiades : see the notes on 
book i. ver. 138, and 221. 

The Pleiades rise with the sun on 
the twenty-second of April, accord- 
ing to Columella : " Decimo calen- 
" das Maias Vergilise cum sole ori- 
ie untur." 

I cannot help observing in this 
place, that Addison, in his transla- 
tion, has given warmth and lustre 
to the Pleiades : 

Twice in the year their flow'ry toils 

begin, 
And twice they fetch their dewy harvest 

in; 
Once when the lovely Pleiades arise, 
And add fresh lustre to the summer skies; 
And once when hast'ning from the wat'ry 

sign 
They quit their station, and forbear to 

shine. 

And yet, in his letter from Italy, 
he represents them as a northern 
constellation : 

We envy not the warmer clime, that 
lies 

In ten degrees of more indulgent skies, 

Nor at the coarseness of our heaven re- 
pine, 

Tho' o'er our heads the frozen Pleiads 
shine. 

But the Pleiades do not shine 
over our heads, but over those of 
the Egyptians and Indians. I be- 
lieve the Pleiades being called the 
seven stars, occasioned this inge- 
nious author to mistake them for 
the seven stars called Charles's 
wain, which do indeed shine over 
our heads, and may be called frozen, 
being so near the pole. 

233. Oceani amnes.'] Thus Ho- 
mer : poos aiKimcic. 

234. Aut eadem, &c] It has 



384 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



tS d oV m Sn n The?l h re Tristior hybernas caelo descendit in undas. 235 

wrathful above measure, and T11 . . -. . ■■, 

if they are offended they Ilhs ira modum supra est, laesaeque venenum 

breathe venom into their 

stings, and leave their hidden Morsibus insph'ant, et spicula caeca relinquunt 

darts fixed to the veins, and jr ? xr tl 

wJun^tUtiheySict. the Adfixa? venis, animasque in vulnera ponunt. 



been already observed, in the note 
on book i. ver. 221, that the morn- 
ing setting of the Pleiades is about 
the latter end of October, or begin- 
ning of November. 

Sidus fugiens ubi piscis aquosi7\ 
The commentators are greatly di- 
vided about the constellation, which 
the Pleiades are here said to avoid. 
Servius affirms it is the southern 
fish, that receives the water of Aqua- 
rius in his mouth, in which he is 
followed by May : 

Againe when slie the southern fish doth 

To winter seas descending heavily : 

Catrou says it is the constellation 
Piscis: " fuyant la presence du 
te signe des poissons." He observes 
in his note, that the Pleiades set be- 
fore the Fish arise : "Les Pleiades 
" se couchent avant que le signe 
" des poissons se leve." La Cerda 
was of the same opinion, but he 
says he will not dispute with any 
one, who shall suppose it to be the 
Dolphin. Ruseus contends that the 
Hydra is meant, which seems to 
follow the Pleiades, and hang over 
them. Dryden says it is the Scor- 
pion : 

Again when their affrighted quire sur- 
veys 

The wat'ry Scorpion mend his pace he- 
hind, 

With a black train of storms and winter 
wind, 

They plunge into the deep, and safe 
protection find. 

The setting of the Pleiades is con- 
fessed to mean the latter end of Oc- 
tober or beginning of November, 
perhaps the eighth, for on that day 



Columella says they set in the morn- 
ing, and, according to the same au- 
thor, winter begins the next. This 
agrees very well with their descend- 
ing into the wintery waters. Now 
we may reasonably suppose, that 
the constellation which they avoid, 
is one that rises in the morning 
about the same time, or soon after 
they set. The Scorpion, according 
to Columella, rises on the thirteenth 
of December : " Idibus Decembris 
*■* Scorpio totus mane exoritur." 
This is in favour of Dryden, only 1 
can see no reason for calling the 
Scorpion by the name of piscis a quo- 
sus. The Scorpion is no fish, nor 
is its usual habitation in the water. 
The Dolphin rises on the twenty- 
seventh of December : " Sexto ca- 
" lendas Januarias Delphinus in- 
" cipit oriri mane." The sun does 
not enter Aquarius till the middle 
of January, nor Pisces till the mid- 
dle of February. The Dolphin 
therefore seems to be the constel- 
lation meant, as it rises sooner 
after the setting of the Pleiades, 
than any other fish delineated on the 
sphere. As for the Hydra, which 
Ruseus thinks is the constellation 
intended, I cannot think Virgil 
would call it a fish. 

236. litis ira modum supra est.~] 
He now assigns a reason for spirting 
w r ater and smoking them : because 
otherwise, being animals of strong 
resentment, they would revenge 
their quarrel on the person who 
should offer to assail them. 

Pierius found super instead of su- 
pra in some ancient manuscripts. 

238. Adjixae venis.'] Pierius found 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



385 



Sin duram metues hyemem, parcesque futuro, 
Contusosque animos, et res miserabere fractas; 
At suffire thymo, cerasque recidere inanes 241 
Quis dubitet ? nam ssepe favos ignotus adedit 
Stellio, et lucifugis congesta cubilia blattis, 



But if youare afraid of a hard 
winter, and would provide 
for futurity, and take pity on 
their broken strength, and 
ruined affairs, yet who would 
hesitate to fumigate them 
with thyme, and cut away 
the «mpty wax? for often 
the skulking lizard has eaten 
the combs, and the chambers 
are full of beetles that avoid 
the light, 



adfixa venis in a very ancient manu- 
script, and adnixce venis in the ob- 
long one. It is affixa in venis in 
one of the Arundelian manuscripts, 
and adfixa in venis in the other, 
making affixa to agree with spicula, 
which is not amiss. 

Animasque in vulnera po?iunt.] So 
I read with one of the Arundelian 
manuscripts, and Heinsius. Pierius 
found the same in the Roman, and 
other manuscripts. The common 
reading is vulnere. 

It is said to be a vulgar error, that 
bees lose their lives with their stings. 

239. Sin duram metues-, &c] The 
Poet now proceeds to speak of the 
manner in which those hives should 
be treated, where the honey is not 
taken, but left to support the bees 
in winter, and mentions the plagues 
that infest them. 

Metues.] Pierius found metuens 
in some ancient manuscripts. It is 
metuens also in the King's manu- 
script. 

240. Contusosque.~\ In the King's 
manuscript it is concussosque. 

Miserabere.~\ In the King's ma- 
nuscript it is miserabile. 

241. At suffire thymo.] Pierius 
found aut in some of the old manu- 
scripts. 

The sense seems to be, though 
you think fit not to benefit yourself 
by depriving them of their honey, 
yet it will be worth the while to 
take some pains about preserving 
them. 

This fumigation is recommended 
also by other authors. Varro says 



it should be twice or thrice in a 
month, during the summer : u . Ver- 
" no tempore et aestivo fere ter in 
" mense mellarius inspicere debet 
" fumigans leviter eas, et a spurci- 
" tiis purgare alvum, et vermiculos 
' c ejicere." 

Cerasque recidere inanes.] Servius 
seems to understand the Poet to 
mean, that some wax should be cut 
into small pieces, and given the bees 
for nourishment ; in which he is fol- 
lowed by May : 

Give them cut waxe. 

But he is certainly to be understood 
of taking away the superfluous wax, 
lest the empty cells should afford 
room for noxious animals. Thus 
Columella : " Higinius quidem in 
' ' eo libro, quern de apibus scripsit ; 
" Aristomachus, inquit, hoc modo 
" succurrendum laborantibus exis- 
" timat : Primum, ut omnes vitiosi 
<e favi tollantur, et cibus ex integro 
" recens ponatur : deinde ut fumi- 
" gentur." 

242. Ignotus stellio.'] The stellio 
is a small spotted lizard, called also 
a swift. The Poet calls it ignotus, 
because of its creeping into holes 
and corners. 

Adedit.'] Pierius found adhcesit in 
the Roman manuscript, which he 
takes to be a corrupt reading. 

243. Et.] Et is left out in some 
editions ; but Pierius says it is re- 
tained in all the ancient manu- 
scripts. 

Lucifugis blattis.] The blatta is an 
insect something like a beetle: some 
N 3 D 



S86 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



the drone also that sits, with- 
out labouring, at the repast 
belonging to another, or the 
fierce hornet has engaged 
theni with unequal arms, or 
the dreadful race of moths, 
or the spider hated by Mi- 
nerva hangs her loose nets at 
their doors. The more they 
are exhausted, the more 
pains will they take to repair 
the ruins of their falling fa- 
mily, and will fill up their 
cells, and form their combs 
of flowers. But, seeing life 
afflicts bees also with our mis- 
fortunes, if their bodies shall 
languish with a sad disease, 
which you may know by cer- 
tain signs ; immediately the 
sick change their colour; a 
horrid leanness deforms their 
countenances ; then they 
carry the bodies of the dead 
out of their houses, 



Immunisque sedens aliena ad pabula fucus, 
Aut asper crabro imparibus se immiscuit armis ; 
Aut dirum tineae genus, aut invisa Minervae 246 
Laxos in foribus suspendit aranea casses. 
Quo magis exhaustae fuerint, hoc acrius omnes 
Incumbent generis lapsi sarcire ruinas, 
Complebuntque foros, et floribus horrea texent. 
Si vero, quoniam casus apibus quoque nostros 
Vita tulit, tristi languebunt corpora morbo, 
Quod jam non dubiis poteris cognoscere signis ; 
Continuo est eegris alius color : horrida vultum 
Deformat macies ; turn corpora luce carentum 



take the cock-roch to be the blatta. 
They are called lucifugce, because 
they do not appear by day-light. 

245. Crabror\ The hornet is an 
insect like a wasp, but twice as big. 

Imparibus armis.~\ This insect is 
too large and strong for the bees to 
encounter with it. 

Immiscuit.'] In one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts it is miscuit. 

246. Dirum tinece genus.] Many 
read durum: but Pierius found dirum 
in most of the ancient manuscripts. 
In the King's, the Bodleian, and in 
one of the Arundelian manuscripts 
it is durum. But dirum is generally 
received. Either of these readings 
seems to be good. 

The tinea is the moth, that eats 
garments and many other things. 

Invisa Minervce aranea.] Arachne, 
a Lydian maid, disputed with Mi- 
nerva the preference in weaving 
tapestry. Arachne performed her 
work to admiration. But as she 
had represented in it the crimes of 
several of the Gods, Minerva in a 
rage destroyed it: at which Arachne, 
being grieved, hanged herself. The 
Goddess in compassion changed her 
to a spider. This fable is related in the 
fifth book of Ovid's Metamorphoses. 



Servius and other grammarians 
observe, that we ought to write 
araneus, in the masculine gender: 
but both Virgil and Ovid use ara- 
nea. 

248. Quo magis exhaustce, &c] 
It has been observed by the writers 
on Agriculture, that if the bees have 
too much honey left them, they will 
be idle ; whereas if you leave them 
but little, they will be diligent in 
repairing their loss. 

251. Si vero, &c] He speaks of 
the diseases of bees, and the reme- 
dies for them, whence he takes oc- 
casion to give a beautiful description 
of a plant, which he calls Amellus. 

According to Pierius, the oblong 
manuscript has sin instead of si. 

254>. Horrida vultum deformat 
macies.'] In one of the Arundelian 
manuscripts it is di format. 

Varro observes, that a rough look 
is a sign that the bees are sick, un- 
less it is about the time of their be- 
ginning to work; for then they look 
rough with labour, and grow Jean : 
" Minus valentium signa si sunt pi- 
" losae et horrida?, ut pulverulentae, 
" nisi opificii eas urget tempus : turn 
" enim propter laborem^sperantur, 
(e ac macescunt." 



GEORG. LIB, IV. 



387 



Exportant tectis, et tristia funera ducunt. 
Aut illae pedibus connexae ad limina pendent, 
Aut intus clausis cunctantur in aedibus omnes, 
Ignavaeque fame et contracto frigore pigrae. 
Turn sonus auditur gravior, tractimque susur- 
rant, 260 

Frigidus ut quondam sylvis immurmuratauster; 
Ut mare sollicitum stridet refluentibus undis, 
iEstuat ut clausis rapid us fornacibus ignis. 
Hie jam galbaneos suadebo incendere odores, 



and make mournful proces- 
sions. Or else they hang at 
the entrance with clinging 
feet, or all of them loiter 
within their closed up doors, 
being faint with hunger, and 
sluggish with contracted cold. 
Then a deeper sound is heard, 
and they make a drawling 
hum; as when a cold south 
wind sometimes rustles in the 
woods, or the troubled sea 
murmurs at the reflux of the 
waters, or as fire roars in 
a pent up furnace. In this 
case I would advise to bum 
strong scented galbanum, 



256. Tristia funer a ducunt.] Ari- 
stotle only says the bees bring out 
those which die in the hive : T«$ §' 

\%ea. Pliny says they accompany the 
dead bodies after the manner of a 
funeral procession : " Quin et mor- 
'« bos suapte natura sentiunt. Index 
" eorum tristitia torpens, et cum 
" ante fores in teporem solis pro- 
" motis aliae cibos ministrant, cum 
'■ defunctas progerunt, funeranti- 
" umque more comitantur exe- 
" quias." Dryden has amplified 
what the Poet says of the funeral 
procession : 

And crowds of dead, that never must 

return 
To their lov'd hives, in decent pomp are 

borne : 
Their friends attend the herse, the next 

relations mourn. 

257. Pedibus connexce.~\ " I do 
" not think that a cluster is meant 
" in this place,, which is afterward 
" mentioned as a sign of joy : it 
" seems rather to be meant of a few 
" bees, which being either dead or 
" faint, hang by their feet about the 
" entrance." Ru^eus. 

260. Tractimquei] In the Bodleian 
manuscript it is tractuque. 

Frigidus ut quondam, &c.] For 
the ep'ithetfrigidus, see the note on 



book iii. ver. 279- For quondam, 
see the note on book iii. ver. 99* 

These three similies are taken 
from the fourteenth Iltad : 

Ovn S-etXuirffns xvfta rotrov /ZoeiM wort %i£ffo* 
Tlovr'ohv o(wi/Ai.vov zrvity fiogiu a&tyuvn, 
Ollre zffugos Toffffog yt zifor) (&t>o(Ms uidoftUoio, 
Ougiios lx $w<w$ on r ugtro xaUf&tv tlXtiv, 
Out avtftos riffffos yt, zcfor) ^^vffh w\^ixe- 

flOlfflV 

'Kvutt, offn piikurret ftkya. (igiftsron %u*.i- 
irulvm. 

Not half so loud the bellowing deeps re- 
sound, 

When stormy winds disclose the dark 
profound ; 

Less loud the winds, that from th' iBolian 
hall 

Roar through the woods, and make whole 
forests fall ; 

Less loud the woods, when flames in tor- 
rents pour, 

Catch the dry mountain, and its shades 
devour. 

Mr. Pope. 

Here, as Mr. Pope observes, Virgil 
has beautifully softened these simi- 
lies, and, by a kind of parody, ap- 
plied them to the buzzing of a bee- 
hive. 

Sijlvis.~\ Pierius found sylvas in 
the Lombard manuscript. 

262. Ut.] Pierius found aut in 
the Medicean manuscript. It is aut 
also in the King's manuscript. But 
ut is certainly the true reading. 

264. Hie."} In the King's, and in 

3 D 2 



388 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and to put in honey through 
canals of reed, softly persuad- 
ing the weary bees, and in- 
viting them to their well 
known food. It will be of 
service also to add the taste 
of pounded galls, and dried 
roses, or wine thickened over 
the fire, or raisins from the 
Psythian vine, and Cecropian 
thyme, and strong smelling 
centaury. 



Mellaque arundineis inferre canalibus, ultro 265 
Hortantem, et fessas ad pabula nota vocantem. 
Proderit et tunsum gallae admiscere saporem, 
Arentesque rosas, aut igni pinguia multo 
Defruta, vel psythia passos de vite racemos, 
Cecropiumque thymum, et grave olentia cen- 
taurea. 270 



one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts, it is 
'kinc. 

Galbaneos odores.] See the note 
on book iii. ver. 415. 

Columella has mentioned Galba- 
num and the other medicines here 
spoken of, which he seems to borrow 
from Virgil: "Nee non etiam ille 
* morbus maxime est conspicuus, 
se qui horridas contractasque carpit, 
" cum frequenter aliae mortuarum 
" corpora domiciliis suis efferunt, 
" aliae intra tecta, ut in publico 
" luctu, mcesto silentio torpent. Id 
fC cum accidit, arundineis infusi ca- 
" nalibus ofFeruntur cibi, maxime 
<e decocti mellis, et cum galla vel 
te arida rosa detriti. Galbanum 
" etiam, ut ejus odore medicentur, 
" incendi convenit, passoque et de- 
" fruto vetere fessas sustinere." 

265. Mella.] We learn from the 
passage just now cited from Colu- 
mella, that the honey should be 
boiled. 

267. Tunsum.] It is tonsum in 
the Bodleian, and in one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts, and in several 
of the old editions. 

Gallce.] The gall is an excres- 
cence or nest of an insect, formed 
on the oaks in Italy, after the same 
manner that oak-apples are in Eng- 
land. All parts of the oak, espe- 
cially the galls, are astringent 3 they 
are very proper therefore for the 
purging, to which bees are subject 
in the spring, occasioned by their 
feeding greedily upon spurge after 



their winter penury, according to 
Columella : " Maximus autena an- 
" nuus earum labor est initio veris, 
" quo tithymalli floret frutex, et 
" quo sameram ulmi promunt : 
" namque sicut novis pomis, ita his 
" primitivis floribus illectae, avide 
'* vescuntur post hybernam famem, 
"nil alioquin citra satietatem, tali 
" nocente cibo, quo se cum affatim 
" repleverint, profluvio alvi, nisi 
'* celeriter succurritur, intereunt : 
" nam et tithymallus majorum quo- 
" que animalium ventrem solvit, jet 
" proprie ulmus apium." 

Admiscere.'] In the King's ma- 
nuscript it is immiscere. 

268. Arentesque.'] In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is ardentesque, 
which is manifestly wrong. 

269. Psythia passos de vite race- 
mos.] See the note on book ii. ver. 
93. 

270. Cecropiumque thymum.] See 
the notes on ver. 112, and 177- 

Grave olentia centaur ea.] Lu- 
cretius has tristia centaurea. This 
herb was so called from the centaur 
Chiron, who was said to be thereby 
cured of a wound accidentally in- 
flicted by an arrow of Hercules, ac- 
cording to Pliny : " Centaurea cu- 
" ratus dicitur Chiron cum Hercu- 
" lis excepti hospitio pertractanti 
" arma, sagitta excidisset in pedem, 
" quare aliqui Chironion vocant." 
There are two sorts of centaury, 
the greater and the less, which have 
no other similitude, than in the 




ASTM A T T :i £ T § 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



389 



Est etiam flos in pratis, cui nomen amello ^^^SuSfSSS^ 

__ . , p-t ^.'l U U people call Amellus : the herb 

Fecere affncolae, iacilis quaerentious neroa. is very easy to be found, for 

° x . the root, which consists of a 

Namque uno ingentera tollit de cespite sylvam, ^^JJ*$™* m 

Aureus ipse ; sed in foliis, qua? plurima circum S^^SSSf ag0,de,l 



bitterness of their taste. The 
greater is cultivated in gardens, the 
less grows wild in England in many 
places, and is the best known. 

271. Est etiam. flos in pratis, &c] 
I think we may venture to affirm, 
that the plant here described is the 
Aster Atticus, or purple Italian Star- 
wort. But let us see how Virgil's 
description agrees with the Aster At- 
ticus. Ray says it is common in 
the uncultivated valleys of Italy, 
Sicily, and Narbonne. "Nascitur 
" incultis et asperis convallibus, in 
" Italia, Sicilia, et Gallia Narbo- 
" nensi passim obvius.'' There- 
fore it is very easy to be found, fa- 
cilis qucerentibus herba. The root 
coiisists of a great bunch of fibres, as 
I have rendered uno de cespite, for I 
take cespes in this place not to sig- 
nify the earth or turf, but radix ces- 
pitosa, a root whose fibres are thick 
matted together so as to form a kind 
of turf. Non de terra, sed de radice, 
says Phylargyrius. From this root 
arise a vast number of stalks, which 
Virgil poetically calls a great wood, 
ingentem sylvam. The flower is of 
that sort which botanists calls a ra- 
diated discous flower: the disk is 
yellow, and the ray purple. To 
make this plain to those who are 
not acquainted with botany, I have 
added a figure of this plant. A, re- 
presents the yellow disk, which Vir- 
gil calls the flower itself: aureus 
ipse. B, represents the rays or pur- 
ple leaves which surround the flower; 
foliis, quae plurima circumfunduntur, 
vioke sublucet purpura nigrce. 

Cui nomen amello.] He uses the 
dative case here after the manner of 



the Greeks; as in other places, 
" Cui nomen Iulo," and " Cui Re- 
" mulo cognomen erat." 

272. Fecere agricolce.] The Poet 
tells us Amellus is a rustic name, 
not that by which it was known at 
Rome, and among the writers of 
natural history. 

273. Uno.] It is imo in one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts, and in se- 
veral old printed editions, and in 
most manuscript copies, according 
to Pierius : but uno is generally re- 
ceived, as the true reading. 

274. Aureus ipse, &c] Virgil 
plainly speaks of the flower, as be- 
ing golden or yellow, which Colu- 
mella mistook, not being acquainted 
with this herb himself 5 for he 
makes it a yellow shrub with pur- 
ple flowers : " Optime tamen facit 
" amelli radix, cujus est frutex lu- 
" teus, purpureus flos/' Ruaeus 
rightly interprets this description of 
Virgil : " Quippe uno e cespite eri- 
" gitmagnamcopiamcaulium : au- 
<( reus ipse est, sed purpura violae 
" nigricantis sublucet in foliis, quae 
<f multa in orbem ambiunt floscula." 
But our translators have greatly 
erred : for May represents the leaves 
of the stalk as being purple : 

For from one roote he spreads a wood 

of boughes, 
Whose many leaves, although the flower 

be gold, 
Black violets dimme purple colour hold. 

Addison has very much deviated 
from the sense of his author : 

A mighty spring works in its root, and 

cleaves 
The sprouting stalk, and shews itself in 

leaves : 



390 



witha great number of leaves, 
which are purple, like violets. 
The altars of the gods are 
often adorned with wreaths 
of these flowers. It has a 
bitterish taste. The shep- 
herds gather it in the open 
valleys, and near the winding 
stream of the river Mella. 
Boil the roots of this herb in 
the best flavoured wine, and 
place baskets full of them be- 
fore the door of the hive. But 
if the whole stock shall fail 
any one on a sudden, and he 
shall not know how to repair 
his loss by a new family, it 
will be time to unfold the 
memorable discovery of the 
Arcadian master, 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

Funduntur, violae sublucet purpura nigrae. 275 
Saepe deum nexis ornatae torquibus arae. 
Asper in ore sapor. Tonsis in vallibus ilium 
Pastores, et curva legunt prope flumina Mellae. 
Hujus odorato radices incoque Baccho, 
Pabulaque in foribus plenis apppne canistris. 
Sed si queni proles subito defecerit omnis, 
Nee, genus unde novae stirpis revocetur, habebit, 
Tempus et Arcadii memoranda inventa magistri 



i 



The flow'r itself is of a golden hue, 
The leaves inclining to a darker blue. 
The leaves shoot thick about the flow'r, 

and grow 
Into a bush, and shade the turf below. 

Bryden took the folia qua plurima 
circumfunduntur to be the branches 
of the plant : 

For from one root the rising stem be- 
stows 

A wood of leaves, and vVlet purple 
boughs : 

The flow'r itself is glorious to behold, 

And shines on altars like refulgent 
gold. 

Dr. Trapp supposes the stem to be 
golden, and the leaves to be purple : 

For from one turf a mighty grove it 

bears : 
Its stem of golden hue, but in its leaves, 
Which copious round it sprout, the purple 

teint 
Of deep-dy'd violets more glossy shines. 

275. Viola nigra.] The com- 
mon violet. It is called black, from 
its dark purple colour. Thus Theo- 
critus : text to 'Uv p&Xxv hri. 

277. Tonsis in vallibus.'] Servius 
interprets this non sylvosis. " Unde," 
says he," estcontra intonsi montes." 
La Cerda takes it to mean after 
mowing: " Cum valles jam sunt 
" tonsae, et deraessae segetes." Ser- 
vius's sense agrees best with the 
account which Ray gives of the 
place where it grows. Ruaeus fol- 
lows La Cerda, rendering this pas- 



sage in praiis demessis. Dr. Trapp 
adheres to this interpretation. 

. the swains, 

In new mow'd vales, near Mella's wind- 
ing stream 
Gather this herb. 

Though perhaps it may mean in 
valleys where cattle have grazed ; for 
iondeo is used for grazing j as 
(< Tondent dumeta juvenci." 

278. Flumina Mella.] One of the 
Arundelian manuscripts, and the 
Cambridge manuscript have it 
Amelia. La Cerda reads Mela. 
There are several rivers of this 
name; but that which Virgil means 
here is a river of Lombardy. 

280. Appone.] Pierius tells us 
that it is expone in the Roman, and 
some other manuscripts. 

281. Sed si quern proles, &c] The 
Poet having already spoken of the 
ways of driving noxious animals 
from the bees, and of the method of 
curing their diseases, now proceeds 
to describe the manner after which 
the total loss of them may be re- 
paired, which he tells us was prac- 
tised by the Egyptians. 

Si quern."] Pierius found siquidem 
in the Medicean and other ancient 
manuscripts. I find it also in the 
Bodleian, and in one of the Arunde- 
lian manuscripts, and in some printed 
editions. 

283. Arcadii magistri] The Ar- 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



391 



Pandere, quoque modo csesis jam saepe juvencis ^^p&S^^i 
Insincerus apes tulerit cruor, altius omnem 285 Jo", i'Xii mentk^tiU 

. . whole story at large, tracing 

Expeuiam prima repctens ab origine famam. jtback from its first source. 

r r I © For where the happy nation 

Nam qua Pellsei gens fortunata Canopi ofPeii*ancano P us 



cadian master is Aristoeus. See the 
note on ver. 317- 

287. Nam qua Pellcei &c] These 
seven verses have greatly exercised 
the skill of the commentators, who 
have given very different interpre- 
tations of them. La Cerda con- 
tends, that the Poet, in the three 
first lines, describes Egypt ; and in 
the rest, Persia. That the three 
first relate to Egypt, is universally 
agreed : the difficulty consists in 
solving the other. He takes the 
amnis devexus ab Indis to be the In- 
dus, to which Ptolomy has assigned 
seven mouths, as well as to the Nile. 
Now as the Indus does without 
doubt descend from the Indians pro- 
perly so called, as it really presses 
the borders of Persia, and as it has 
seven mouths, he thinks it agrees 
better with the Poet's description 
than the Nile, between which and 
Persia all Arabia is interposed . As 
for ver. 291, he gets clear of that by 
endeavouring to prove it not to be 
genuine, and excluding it from the 
text. Hardouin also understands 
the Poet to speak of the Indus, but 
retains the verse which La Cerda 
rejects. He observes, that there 
was an island called Prasiane, 
formed by the mouths of the Indus, 
as the Delta was by those of the 
Nile. He derives the name of Pra- 
siane from 7r%eco-ioq, viridis, and thence 
imagines, that Virgil meant this 
island by viridem JEgyptum. Huet 
opposes his learned countryman, 
and understands the whole passage 
to relate to Egypt. As for the Nile 
being derived from India, he tells 
us it was the universal opinion of 
the ancients, that this river rose in 



India, which he confirms by the au- 
thority of Alexander, who thought 
he had found the source of the Nile, 
when he arrived at the Indus. Ru- 
aeus also rejects the Indus, inter- 
preting the whole passage concern- 
ing the Nile, deriving it from the 
Ethiopians, who were called In- 
dians by the ancients. He inter- 
prets 

Quaque pharetratoe vicinia Persidis urget 9 
" where the countries bordering 
" on the quivered Persians touch 
" Egypt." These countries, he says, 
are Arabia, Syria, &c. all which are 
comprehended by the poet under the 
name of Persia, because they were 
all subdued by Cyrus, and his son 
Cambyses. Catrou proposes a new 
solution of this difficult passage. He 
supposes Virgil to mean the whole 
course of the Nile, the lower Egypt 
in the three first verses, the upper 
Egypt in the two next, and the source 
of the Nile in the two last, conclud- 
ing with ver. 294, which plainly 
shews that the Poet intended to de- 
scribe only one country. For my 
own part, I take Virgil, by all that 
he has here said, to mean only a de- 
scription of the Delta, or lower 
Egypt. Canopus is the west angle 
of that triangular region, Pelusium is 
the east angle, being nearest to Per- 
sia, and the south angle is the point, 
where the Nile is divided, to form the 
Delta. I shall endeavour to explain 
what has been said, in the following 
notes on the particular expressions. 
Pellcei Canopi.~\ Strabo tells us, 
that this city was so called from Ca- 
nopus the pilot of Menelaus, who 
died there, and that it is a hundred 
and twenty stadia distant from Alex- 



392 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



^tLfw^CS-' Accolit effiiso stagnantem flumine Nilum, 

ing waters, and is carried 771. • •-•!•- n »■ 

round about its own fields in xL-t circum pictis venitur sua rura iaselis ; 

painted galleys ; and where 

evlnlvom ^e^un-bumt !^ Q ua( l ue pharetratse vicinia Persidis urget, 290 
^^sl^iSJ Et viridem ^Egyptura nigra foecundat arena, 

green Egypt with black ooze, 



andria : KoLya£o$ §' eV i 5roA<$ lv zlxoa-i xxi 
Ixxrh trrx^ioig uirh '' 'AXt^xv^^tixg 5re£»j 
tovcriv, lirwvpog KxvaGov rov Mivthdov 
xv£i(>vqrov, cctoB-ccvovtos xvrobi. Pella, 
according to the same author, was 
accounted the metropolis of Mace- 
donia, being the birth-place both of 
Philip and Alexander: T>jv 21 nix- 
Xxv 6>Wgg {*i)T(>07roXiv yiymvxi ruv Mx- 
xidovm tkv 0<A<Woy xxi 'Ate^xvcigov 
•srxr^bx. The city Canopus gives 
name to one of the most considerable 
mouths of the Nile, being the near- 
est to the city, which Alexander 
built in Egypt, and called from his 
own name Alexandria. Therefore 
Virgil describes the west side of 
the Delta, by calling it the Pellaean 
Canopus, on account of the neigh- 
bourhood of Alexandria. 

Gens fortunata.~] The inhabitants 
of this part of Egypt are called hap- 
py on account of the great fertility 
of their country. 

288. Accolit effuso stagnantem 
flumine Nilum.~\ Strabo tells us, 
that when the Nile overflows, the 
whole country is covered with water, 
except their habitations, which are 
built either upon natural hills, or 
upon banks raised by art, which at 
that time have the appearance of so 
many islands: 3 Ev 21 rx7$ xvxQc$<ri<ri 
rev Ns/Aov, xxXv7rri7Xt varx, xxi rnhx- 
yt£u, ttA^v t« o'ikvioiw xvtxi 2' hri 
XoQav ecvroQvoZv, « ^Ufjcdruv tdgvvroii, 
TroXiig rt x$-io\oyoi xxi xwjaxIj VYi<rj£ov<rxi 
xxrx tkv yro'pyaQiv o-^/iv. 

290. Pkaretratce vicinia Persidis.] 
The Persians were famous for rid- 
ing, hunting, and shooting arrows. 
We are not to understand the Poet 
in this place, as speaking of Per- 
sia strictly so called, which was 



bounded on the west by Susiana 
and Media, on the north by Parthia, 
on the east by Caramania, and on 
the south by the Persian gulph, but 
of the empire of those people ex- 
tended by Cyrus. Xenophon tells 
us that great monarch left behind 
him an empire bounded on the east 
by the mare erythrceum, on the north 
by the Black sea, on the west by 
Cyprus and Egypt, and on the 
south by Ethiopia : Kxi he. rcvrov rw 
upy/N aqiQw xvra 7r%o$ ia ftiv, n tpvogcc 
SxXXTTX' 7Cg0g ItgXTOV 21, Ev|g<*oj 
7rovrog. Tr^og gWgg#v 21, Kvjrgej xxi A'i- 
yv7TTcg. vrgog f£,i<ryf£&(>ixv 21 Ai§io7rlx* 
Here then we see plainly how the 
Nile may press the borders of Per- 
sia, since the Persians had extended 
their dominion as far as to Egypt. 
The Poet had before spoken of the 
west side of the Delta under the 
name of Canopus: and now he 
expresses the east side, or Pelusian 
mouth of the Nile, as bordering on 
the empire of the Persians. Catrou 
finds some colonies of Persians 
seated on each side of the Upper 
Egypt, which he thinks the Poet 
means in this verse. 

291. Viridem 2Egyptum.~\ Har- 
douin thinks the epithet viridis, 
applied to Egypt, is cold and in- 
animated : this being added to an- 
other observation, that Virgil does 
not use to be guilty of such tau- 
tology, as to make a double de- 
scription of the same place, he con- 
cludes, that the Poet must speak of 
two different countries. Then find- 
ing mention in Pliny of a triangular 
island at the mouth of the Indus, 
he ventures to affirm, that Virgil 
meant this island by viridem IE- 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 

Et diversa ruens septem discurrit in ora 



393 



and pouring along divides it- 
self into seven mouths : 



gyptum, because it resembled the 
Tower Egypt or Delta, in its trian- 
gular shape, and that the epithet 
mridis is only a translation of Pra- 
siane. But viridis is by no means a 
cold epithet for Egypt, being very 
proper to express the great fertility 
of that country, when overflowed 
by the Nile. As for the island 
Prasiane, Pliny does not say it is 
triangular. I do not find any 
mention of it, except in the twenti- 
eth chapter of the sixth book, where 
he says it is a very large island, and 
that there is another near it named 
Patale : " Amplissimam insulam 
" efficiens, quae Prasiane nominatur, 
u et aliam minorem quae Patale." 
As for Patale, he says in the next 
chapter, that it is triangular : " Sed 
" ante sunt aliae, Patale, quam sig- 
" nificavimus, in ipsis faucibus Indi 
" triquetra figura ccxx. M. pass. 
** latitudine." But he no where 
says any thing of its greenness or 
fertility. And to me it appears a 
great violence to make Virgil call 
two Indian islands green Egypt, be- 
cause one of them resembles it in 
shape, and the other is derived from 
a Greek word signifying green; 
which etymology, however, is not 
very certain, since the learned 
father himself confesses in another 
place, that Prasiane is derived from 
the name of the inhabitants, who 
were called Prasii : " Prasiane, a 
" Prasiis, Indi amnis accolis, quo- 
" rum ditionis fuit, nomen invenit." 
As for the imaginary tautology, it 
has been observed already, that 
Virgil does not describe the same 
place twice ; but only distinguishes 
Egypt, by describing the two sides 
of the triangle, within which it is 
contained. 

Nigra are?ia.] La Cerda thinks 
these words are a proo£ that Virgil 



did not mean Egypt, because the 
soil of the Nile is ooze, and not 
sand. But arena is frequently used 
for any sort of soil ; and besides it 
has been observed by travellers of 
the best credit, that the natural soil 
of Egypt is sand. 

292. Septem discurrit in ora."] 
The seven mouths of the Nile are 
so very famous, and so frequently 
spoken of, that it may seem un- 
necessary to say any thing here 
concerning them. But as the sense 
of this passage very much depends 
on a right understanding of the 
form of the lower Egypt, I shall 
follow the description given of it 
by Strabo. This famous geogra- 
pher observes, that the Nile flows 
directly northward, from the borders 
of Ethiopia, till it comes to the 
Delta, where being divided as from 
a vertex, it makes a triangular 
figure : the sides of the triangle are 
two channels of the Nile, running 
down on each side of it to the sea ; 
that on the right hand to Pelusium, 
and that on the left to Canopus and 
Heraclium : and the base is the 
sea- coast between Pelusium and 
Heraclium. Thus the island is en- 
compassed by the sea, and two 
channels of the Nile ; and is called 
Delta, because it resembles the 
Greek letter A : 'Ano ya,^ rm Afoio- 
7rixwv ngpovav, pz7 lie iv§iiu$ 7r^og ap- 
terous NiiXog, ia<z rov KteXovptvov y^u- 
piov AiXrec. ilr \tc\ Kogvtyw o-fcitppivoq 
NiTXog, cog (pna-iv nXccrav, cog ocv r^- 
y&ivov xopvtpliv kftoriXii rov ronov rovrov' 
•xXivpag 7)1 rov r^iycovov roc, o-fc^optivce, 
6<p iKotripet DiTSpoif Kot^Kovra ^X^ rvjg 
^ccXdrr^g , ro ph h Oi\ioi rv,g Kara. ITjj- 
Xovtriov. ro £' h a^itrri^a, r^g Kara Kot- 
va&oVj Kcti ro ctX^f/ov 'HqcZkXuov, ttpotu- 
yopivopivov' fiairiv el rqv vragaXi'av rv,v 
pira%v rov TlviXovtrtov' xcu rov 'Hp^oc- 
xXilov' Tiyon *b\ v vvirog '{*. n rv.g &et* 
3 E 



394 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



S^ffinffiS*^ Us q ue coloratis amnis devexus ab Indis : 293 

they choose out a small place, r\ • • i ±. •* i ^ 

that is contracted within a Omnis in hac certain regio jacit arte salutem. 

narrow compass for this pur- . . 

pose: Lxiguus primum, atque ipsos contractus ad usus 



Xxttvis, xxi rwv fevf&xT&tv otpQolv rov 
woTxpov. xxi kxXutxi AzXrx, diet, riiv 
opoioTnTx rov <r%vpotTo$. A little af- 
terwards he sets down the names 
of the seven mouths of this river : 
Miru <}l o-Topcx, to KxvaZixov zo~ti ro BoX- 
QlTiXOV' ifax 10 ?Zi<osvviTixoy XXI to <Pccr- 
vtxov Ta oi <PxtvixZ orvva,7tra to 

Mivdqo-iov ilTX TO TxVlTlXOV, XXI TiXlV- 

tccIov rov HaXovc-ixxov. I wonder 
none of the commentators have 
proposed the Ganges, as the river 
here meant ; for Virgil himself, in 
the ninth yEneid, describes it as 
having seven mouths like the Nile : 

■ Medio dux agmine Tur- 

nus 
Vertitur arma tenens, et toto vertice 

supra est. 
Ceu septem surgens sedatis amnions altus 
Per taciturn Ganges: aut pingui flu- 

mine Nilus, 
Cum refluit campis, et jam se condidit 

alveo. 

293. Coloratis amnis devexus ab 
Indis.'] Huet, to solve the difficulty 
of the Nile's being said to flow 
from the Indians, has discovered, 
that the ancients imagined the 
source of the Nile to be in India 
properly so called, which doctrine 
he supports by a relation, that 
Alexander thought he had found it 
in India. But this was far from 
being a received opinion in Virgil's 
time. For Strabo informs us, 
that Alexander himself was con- 
vinced of his error. When Alex- 
ander, says he, saw crocodiles in 
the Hydaspes, and Egyptian beans 
in the Acesine, he fancied he had 
found the source of the Nile, and 
prepared a fleet in order to invade 
Egypt that way. But he soon 
found it was impossible to put it in 
execution. For there are many 



rivers and dangerous channels be- 
tween, and above all the ocean, into 
which all the rivers of India empty 
themselves, and then there is Aria- 
na, and the Persian and Arabian 
gulphs, and all Arabia and Troglo- 
dytica : 'AXi%xvdpov ^ h ph t£> 'y^os- 

CT7TVI XgOXOtillXoVS WOVTX, \t ^6 T« 'Axl- 

<t7v*j xvoifcovs Aiywrriovs, ivgnxhxi cio- 
\xi Tag tov Nu'Xov Trqyag, xxi Trxgx- 
rxivxfycrQxi gtoXov tig t>jv A'iyv7rrov, ag 

TU 7T0TX[AU TOVTOt ^%^t 6Xi7ci "TCXlMTO- 

f/Avov' (Aixpbv S' vrregov yvuvoUf aiOTi ou 
dvvxrxt o 'ttXTTiTi. Miorov yxg p&iyxXoi 
TTOTccpo}, xxi ^uvx yuQgx. 'Clxixvog [th 

7T£WT0V, tU $V ixSldoXCIV 01 'h^tXOt %XVTlg 
TTOrXpOt. S7TUTX, « 'AglXV*!, XXI Ilsg- 

cixog xoXnog, xxi o 'A^oiGiog, xxi xvt*i j» 
3 Af>x£tx, xxi « TguyXadvrtxt. But 
there is no occasion to have re- 
course to so absurd an opinion, if 
any did entertain it, since it is easy 
to prove that the Ethiopians, from 
whose country the Nile is allowed 
to descend, were frequently called 
Indians by the ancients. Thus our 
Poet himself, in the eighth ^Eneid, 
mentions Indians among the nations 
that assisted Anthony and Cleo- 
patra : 

Omnis eo terrore iEgyptus et 



Indus, 
Omnis Arabs, omnes verterunt terga 
Sabaei. 

Here the Indians are generally al- 
lowed to be the Ethiopians, for it 
does not appear, that there were 
any oriental Indians in that army. 

294. Omnis regio."] By these 
words the Poet plainly shews that 
he has been speaking only of one 
country. 

295. Exiguus primum, &c] It 
was the general opinion of anti- 
quity, that bees were produced from 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



395 



Eligitur locus : hunc angustique imbrice tecti 
Parietibusque premunt arctis, et quatuor addunt, 
Quatuor a ventis obliqua luce fenestras. 
Turn vitulus, bima curvans jam cornua fronte, 
Quaeritur ; huic geminae nares, et spiritus oris 
Multa reluctanti obstruitur, plagisque perempto 
Tunsa per integram solvuntur viscera pellem. 
Sic positum in clauso linquunt, et ramea costis 
Subjiciuntfragmenta,thymum,casiasquerecentes. 
Hoc geritur, zephyris primum impellentibus 
undas, 305 

Ante novis rubeant quam prata coloribus, ante 
Garrula quam tignis nidum suspendat hirundo. 



this they stra'ten with a 
narrow roof, and confined 
walls: and add four windows 
receiving an oblique light 
from the four quarters. Then 
they seek a steer of two years 
that just bends his horns : and 
whilst he struggles mightily 
they close up both his nos- 
trils, and the breath of his 
mouth; and when he is 
bruised to death, his crushed 
bowels putrify, the skin re- 
maining entire. Being thus 
placed, they leave him shut 
up: and put sprigs under 
him, thyme and fresh casia. 
This is done when the ze- 
phyrs first begin to stir the 
waters, before the meadows 
blush with new colours, be- 
fore the chattering swallow 
hangs her nest upon the 
rafters. 



the putrid bodies of cattle. Varro 
says they are called fiovyovett by the 
Greeks, because they arise from 
putrified bullocks : " Denique ex 
" hoc put re facto nasci dulcissimas 
<e apes mellis matres, a quo eas 
" Graeci fiovyovetg appellant." And 
in another place he mentions their 
rising from these putrid animals, 
and quotes the authority of Arche- 
laus, who says bees proceed from 
bullocks, and wasps from horses : 
" Apes nascuntur partim ex apibus, 
" partim ex bubulo corpore putre- 
<l facto. Itaque Archelaus in epi- 
" grammate ait eas esse 

" BOOS (pdlVOflUttS ZtttfOlVllAlM TtKVCC. 

" Idem : 

*' totfcov ph ff<p%Ki5 ytno\, (tot^m Ti uU 

" Xtfffeu." 

Above all, we have the authority of 
the holy Scriptures, that bees will 
proceed from the putrid carcase of 
an animal. For, as we read in the 
fourteenth chapter of the book of 
Judges, " Samson went down, and 
" his father, and his mother, to 
u Timnath, and came to the vine- 
" yards of Timnath : and behold a 



" young lion roared against him. 
u And the Spirit of the Lord came 
" mightily upon him, and he rent 
" him as he would have rent a kid 
" . . . . and after a time .... he 
" turned aside to see the carcase 
" of the lion, and behold there was 
"- a swarm of bees, and honey in 
" the carcase of the. lion." It is 
not however to be imagined, that 
insects are generated from a putre- 
faction. The truth is, such car- 
cases are a proper receptacle for 
tfyeir young; and therefore the 
female parent chooses there to lay 
her eggs, that the warmth of the 
fermenting juices may help to hatch 
them. 

301. Obstruitur.] Fulvius Ursi- 
nus says it is obsuitur in the old 
'Colotian manuscript. 

304. Thymum.] See the note on 
ver. 122. 

Castas.] See the note on book 
ii. ver. 213. 

205. Zephyris primum impellenti- 
bus undas.] This wind is said by 
Pliny to begin to blow about the 
eighth of February. See the note 
on book iii. ver. 273. 

307- Hirundo.] The time of the 
3 E2 



396 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



In the mean time the mois- 
ture, growing warm in his 
tender bones, ferments ; and 
animals, wonderful to behold, 
are formed, at first without 
feet, but in a little while hav- 
ing also buzzing wings, and 
continually more and more 
try the thin air : till at last 
they burst out like a shower 
pouring from the summer 
clouds ; or like arrows driven 
from the impelling string, 
when the light Parthi- 
ans enter into the battle. 
What god, O ye Muses, who 
invented this art for us? 
whence did this new expe- 
rience of men take its rise ? 
The shepherd Aristaeus flying 
from Peneian Tempe, 



Interea teneris tepefactus in ossibus humor 
iEstuat, et visenda modis animalia miris, 309 
Trunca pedum primo, mox et stridentia pennis 
Miscentur, tenuemque magis magis aera carpunt; 
Donee, ut aestivis effusus nubibus imber, 
Erupere ; aut ut nervo pulsante sagittae, 
Prima leves ineunt si quando prcelia Parthi. 
Quis deus hanc, Musae, quis nobis extudit 
artem? 315 

Unde nova ingressus hominum experientia cepit? 
Pastor Aristaeus fugiens Penei'a Tempe, 



swallows coming is said by Colu- 
mella to be about the twentieth or 
twenty-third of February: (< De- 
iC cimo Calendas Martii leo desinit 
" occidere,venti septentrionales,qui 
t( vocantur ornithiae, per dies tri- 
" ginta esse solent, turn et hirundo 
" advenit :" and " Septimo Ca- 
" lendas Martii ventosa tempestas, 
" hirundo conspicitur." Pliny says 
it is on the twenty-second : " Oe- 
" tavo calendas Martii hirundinis 
Cl visus." 

311. Tenuemque magis magis.'] 
The King's, the Bodleian, one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts, and most 
of the old editions have tenuem 
magis ac magis. In the other of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts, it is tenu- 
emque magis ac magis, where que is 
redundant. 

Carpunt."] Pierius found capiant 
in an old manuscript, which reading 
is countenanced by frigus captabis * 
opacum, and by captavit naribus 
auras. 

312. Ut.] It is et in one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts. 

313. Erupere; aut ut.~\ Pierius 
found eripuere in some ancient ma- 
nuscripts, and in others erupere 
velut. The last reading he thinks 
more sweet, and the former more 
numerous. In one of the Arun- 



delian manuscripts it is velut, and 
in one of Dr. Mead's vel ut. 

314. Parthi.] See the note on 
book iii. ver. 31. 

315. Quis deus, &c] The Poet 
concludes the Georgicks with the 
fable of Aristaeus, which includes 
that of Orpheus and Eurydice. This 
paragraph contains the complaint 
of Aristaeus for the loss of his bees, 
and his mother's permission to him 
to enter the sources of the rivers. 

Extudit.] In the Bodleian, one of 
the Arundelian, and in both Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts, it is excudit. 

317. Pastor Aristeeus.] I have 
already said something of Aristaeus, 
in the notes on ver. 14. of the first 
Georgick ; but as the fable of him 
takes up so considerable a part of 
the fourth, I shall say something 
more of him in this place. 

It is generally agreed, that he was 
the son of Apollo, though Cicero, 
in one of his orations against Verres, 
makes him the son of Bacchus : 
" Aristaeus, qui, ut Graeci ferunt, 
" Liberijilius, inventor olei esse di- 
" citur, una cum Libero patre apud 
" illos eodem erat in templo conse- 
" cratus." And yet Cicero himself, 
in his third book de Natura Deorum, 
allows him to be the son of Apollo : 
" Aristaeus, qui olivae dicitur in- 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



397 



Amissis, ut fama, apibus morboque fameque, 
Tristis ad extremi sacrum caput adstitit amnis, 
Multa querens, atque hac affatus voce parentem : 
Mater Cyrene, mater, quae gurgitis hujus 321 



his bees, as Is reported, being 
lost by disease and famine, 
stood mournful at the sacred 
head of the rising stream, 
grievously complaining; and 
thus addressed his parent : O 
mother, Cyrene, O mother, 
who inhabitest the bottom of 
this spring, 



" ventor, Apollinis filius." He was 
born in Libya, whither Apollo trans- 
ported his mother, in order to enjoy 
her, according to Pindar: Nvv $' tv- 
Qvtelftm -zroTvict croi AiQvcc t'i\ixa.i iwcXtct 
vvp(pocv ^a) (Acer iv h x^vrUts zr^aty^m . . 

.... roQi -zretfi* ri^iron piyiv 

h •zroAy;egvG-ft> A&vag. He married 
Autonoe the daughter of Cadmus, 
by whom he had Acteon. After the 
death of this son, being informed 
by the oracle of Apollo, that he 
should receive divine honours in 
the island Cea, he removed thither, 
where, offering sacrifice to Jupiter, 
he obtained the ceasing of a plague, 
and was therefore honoured by them 
as a god after his death. He is 
said also to have visited Arcadia, 
Sardinia, Sicily, and Thrace, in all 
which countries he was adored, for 
having taught mankind the uses of 
oil and honey, and the manner of 
curdling milk. The scene of the 
fable, as it is here related by Virgil, 
is placed in Thessaly. 

Pene'ia Tempe.] Tempe, as was 
observed in the note on book ii. 
ver. 469, is used by the poets to 
express any pleasant plain ; but 
here the epithet Pene'ia plainly de- 
termines, that the real Thessalian 
Tempe is meant. The river Peneus 
rises in Pindus, a great mountain 
of Thessaly, and flows through the 
delightful plains of the Thessalian 
Tempe. Thus Ovid : 

Est nemus Haemonise, praerupta quod 

undique claudit 
Sylva ; vocant Tempe : per quae Peneus 

ab imo 
Effusus Pindo spumosis volvitur undis ; 
Dejectuque gravi tenues agitantia fumos 



Nubila conducit, summasque aspergine 

sylvas 
Impluit; et sonitu plus quam vicina 

fatigat. 

A pleasant grove within /Enwnia grows, 
CalVd Tempe; which high ragged cliffs 

inclose, 
Through this Peneus, poured from Pin- 

dus, raves, 
And from the bottom rowles, with foaming 

waves, 
That by steep downfalls tumbling from on 

hie, 
Ingender mists, which smoke-like, upward 

fie, 
That on the dewy tops of trees distill, 
And more than neighbouring woods with 

noises fill. 

Sandys. 

Theocritus also mentions the beau- 
tiful Peneian Tempe and Pindus 
together : 

" H xura, TiivuZ xaXa Tifitfict, h Ka.ru. 
Tliihef. 

319. Ex tremi7\ Pierius found 
extremum in some ancient manu- 
scripts. 

Caput."] Some understand this of 
the mouth of the river ; but that 
was near Tempe, where Aristaeus 
was supposed to dwell. He for- 
sook the plains, and retired to the 
springs of the river, and. the moun- 
tain Pindus. 

321. Mater Cyrene.] Virgil makes 
Cyrene the daughter of Peneus 3 
but Pindar makes her the daughter 
of Hypseus, king of the Lapithse, 
son of the Naiad Creusa, by Peneus: 

xcv^u, 3-' 'Y-^sos ii>(>vQiei' 05 Act7ri6c6v vsrsg- 
07rXav Twrcixis qv fioto-iXivq, l| 'Zlxictiov 
yivo$ qgag "hivrigos, ov xtn Tliv^ov xXezv- 
vx7$ Iv -KrvyjMt Nui$ ii>$£civ6t7<rx Umtov 



398 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



why did you bear me de- 
tested by the fates, and yet 
6prung from the glorious race 
of gods, if, as you pretend, 
Thymbraean Apollo is indeed 
my father? or whither is 
your love for me fled? why 
did you bid me hope for hea- 
ven ? See, I lose, whilst you 
are my mother, even this 
glory of mortal life, which 
trying all things I had scarce 
struck out from the diligent 
care of fruits and cattle.. But 
proceed, and with your own 
hand root up my happy 
groves : set hostile fire to my 
stalls, and destroy my har- 
vests : burn down my plant- 
ations, and exercise a strong 
bill against my vines ; if you 
have taken such great offence 
at my praise. But his mother 
heard the voice under the 
bed of the deep river: the 
Nymphs were carding the 
Milesian wool,dyed with a full 
sea-green colour, around her ; 
both Drymo and Xanthe, and 
Ligea and Phyllodoce, 



Ima tenes, quid me prseclara stirpe deoruro, 
Si modo, quern perhibes, pater est Thymbraeus 

Apollo, 
Invisum fatis genuisti ? aut quo tibi nostri 324 
Pulsus amor? quid me caelum sperare jubebas? 
En etiam hunc ipsum vitae mortalis honorem 
Quem mihi vix frugum et pecudum custodia 

solers 
Omnia tentanti extuderat, te matre relinquo. 
Quin age, et ipsa manu felices erue sylvas : 
Fer stabulis inimicum ignem, atque interfice 

messes : 330 

Ure sata, et validam in vites molire bipennem ; 
Tanta meae si te ceperunt taedia laudis. 
At mater sonitum thalamo sub fluminis alti 
Sensit : earn circum Milesia vellera Nymphae 
Carpebant, hyali saturo fucata colore : 335 

Drymoque, Xanthoque, Ligeaque, Phyllodoce- 

que, 



>&%u HLgzotcr truer iv Teticcg Svyciriiff. Al- 
most the whole ninth Pythian ode 
is taken up with the account of 
Cyrene, of which I shall give an 
abstract. This beautiful young lady 
was educated by her father, in the 
valleys of Pindus. Her whole de- 
light was in hunting wild beasts, 
which greatly tended to the secu- 
rity of her father's cattle. Apollo 
happened to see her lighting with 
a lion, and fell in love with her, in 
consequence of which he carried her 
into Africa, where she was delivered 
of our Aristseus, and gave her name 
to the famous city Cyrene. 

323. Thymbrceus Apollo.] Apollo 
had this surname from Thymbra, 
a town of Troas, where he had a 
famous temple. 

328. Extuderat] In the King's, 
one of the Arundelian manuscripts, 



and in some of the old editions, it 
is excuderat: in both Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts it is excuterat. 

SSI. Bipennem.] The bipennis is 
a sort of bill with two edges. 

334. Sensit.'] Pierius found senlit 
in some ancient manuscripts. 

Milesia vellera.~] See the note on 
book iii. ver. 306. 

335. Hyali.] This colour is a sea- 
green, or glass colour, vxtos signify- 
ing glass. 

336. Drymoque, &c] The poets 
seem fond of making long catalogues 
of nymphs ; as may be seen in He- 
siod, Homer, and others. 

Ruaeus gives the following ety- 
mology of their names: Drymo 
from ^gVjKo?, a wood of oaks ; Xantho 
from |*v0?, yellow or golden ; Ligea 
from )uyuec, canorous; Phyllodoce 
from <pvh.tov, a leaf, and ^fi^o^xi, I 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



S99 



Csesariem effusae nitidam per Candida colla : 
Nessee, Spioque, Thaliaque, Cymodoceque, 
Cydippeque, et flava Lycorias; altera virgo, 



having their shining hair dif- 
fused over their snowy necks ; 
Nesxe, and Spio, and Thalia, 
and Cymodoce, and Cydippe, 
and golden Lycorias, the one 
a virgin, 



take; Nesaee from vwag, an island; 
Spio from er?rg<ov, a den; Thalia 
from Mxxet, I flourish; Cymodoce 
from x.vpo&, a wave, and %%opxi 3 
I take ; Cydippe from Kidog, glory, 
and JWo?, a horse ; Lycorias from 
Xwosy a wolf; Clio from xXeia, I 
praise ; Ephyre from Qv^a, I water; 
Opis from aty, vTrog a countenance ; 
Dei'opea from $ws, ardent, and o^, 
onog, a voice. Dryden has added 
epithets to several of these names, 
which are not warranted either by 
the original, or their etymologies : 

Spio with Drymo brown, and Xanthe 

fair, 
And sweet Phyllodoce, 
Opis the meek, and Deiopeia proud, 
Nisea lofty, 
Thalia joyous, Ephyre the sad. 

Grimoaldus has given a large 
paraphrase on all these names, which 
it may not be amiss to translate : 
' ' In the first place Drymo, so called 
" from a grove of oaks. Then 
" Xantho, named either from a 
" yellow colour, or from a river of 
" Troy of the same name, which is 
tc called also Scamander. After- 
<e wards Ligea, who had her name 
tc from the sound of flowing waters, 
<f or from a tree or herb, called by 
" the Greeks Ligeon. Then Phyl- 
" lodoce, so called from receiving 
" leaves. And Nesaea, who had 
* e her name either from spinning, 
" swimming, or washing. Speio 
" also, so called from dens and ca- 
" verns of rivers. Thalia also, 
" named from greenness, joy, and 
u mirth. And Cymodoce, so called 
" from receiving and quieting 
" waves. Also Cydippe, a riding 
" virgin, who had her name from 



<c the excellence and glory of her 
tc horses. Also Lycorias, who was 
" married, and had the manners of 
" a wolf. And Clio, who uses to 
" bring praise and glory to men. 
" And her sister Beroe, who retain- 
" ed the name of an old woman of 
" Epidaurus, into whom Juno 
" changed herself, to persuade Se- 
" mele, to entreat of Jupiter, that 
" he would appear to her with his 
f « full glory. Ephyre also was pre- 
11 sent, from whom the city Corinth 
" took its ancient name. Opis 
" also, a nymph full of care and 
u consideration. There was Asian 
t( Deiopeia also, a warlike and 
" strong virago. And lastly Are- 
" thusa, a huntress, and companion 
" of Diana, who took her name 
" from a Sicilian fountain, who 
(( throwing away her arrows fled 
" from Alpheus pursuing her." 

S36. Phyllodoce.] In both the 
Arundelian, and in one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts, it is Phyledoce. In Dr. 
Mead's other manuscript it is Phil- 
lidoce. 

338. Nescee, &c.] This verse is 
omitted in one of Dr. Mead's manu- 
scripts : and in some others, accord- 
ing to Pierius, and Fulvius Ur- 
sinus. 

Cymodoce.] In one of the Arun- 
delian manuscripts it is Cynodoce. 

33Q. Cydippeque etjlava Lycorias.] 
In the King's, the Cambridge, one 
of the Arundelian manuscripts, and 
in the old Nurenberg edition it is 
Cydippe et flava Lycorias. Pierius 
found Cydippeque et flava Lycorias 
in the Lombard manuscript, which 
he thinks is Virgil's manner. This 
reading is generally admitted. 



400 



P. VIRGILI1 MARONIS 



the other having fust expe- 
rienced the first labours of 
Lucina ; and Clio and her sis- 
ter Beroe, both daughters of 
Oceanus : both begirt with 
gold, both with painted skins ; 
and Ephyre, and Opis, and 
Asian Deiopeia, and Arethusa 
having at length laid her 
shafts aside. Among whom 
Clymene was relating the vain 
care of Vulcan, and the de- 
ceits of Mars, and his sweet 
thefts, and enumerated the 
frequent amours of the gods 
down from Chaos. Whilst 
the nymphs were hearkening 
to this song, as they turned 
the soft work, again the la- 
mentati ons o f Aristaeus struck 
his mother's ears ; and all 
were astonished in their glassy 
seats : 



Altera turn primos Lucinae experta labores : 340 
Clioque et Beroe soror, Oceanitides ambse, 
Ambae auro, pictis mcinctae pellibus ambse ; 
Atque Ephyre, atque Opis, et Asia Deiopea ; 
Et tandem positis velox Arethusa sagittis. 
Inter quas curam Clymene narrabat in an em 345 
Vulcani, Martisque.dolos, et dulcia furta: 
Aque Chao densos divum nmnerabat amores. 
Carmine quo captae, dum fusis mollia pensa 
Devolvunt; iterum maternas impulit aures 
Luctus Aristsei, vitreisque sedilibus omnes 350 



343. Et Asia Deiopea.] Paul Ste- 
phens and Schrevelius read atque 
Asia Deiopea. Some read atque Asia 
et Deiopeia, making Asia and Deio- 
peia two nymphs. But I believe Asia 
is an adjective, meaning that she be- 
longed to the Asian fen: see the 
note on book i. ver. 3S3. 

344. Tandem positis velox Are- 
thusa sagittis.'] The nymph Are- 
thusa, according to the fable, was 
the daughter of Nereus and Doris, 
and one of Diana's companions. 
Being pursued by the river god Al- 
pheus, she was changed into a foun- 
tain by Diana. 

345. Curam Clymene narrabat in- 
anem Vulcani, &c] This story of 
the amour of Mars and Venus, and 
their being caught in a net by Vul- 
can, is sung by Demodocus, in the 
eighth Odyssey. The Poet calls 
Vulcan's care vain, either because 
it did not hinder the lovers from 
enjoyment, or perhaps because, ac- 
cording to the song in Homer, the 
discovery of Mars seemed to be en- 
vied by the gods : 

'Egftqv £e zTgotriuViv aval; Aio$ vlo$ 'AtcX- 

Xav. 
'Egfttia Ato$ viz, oiccxrogz, 2urog zduv. 
'H£« xzv iv Szcruoifft B-'tXois K(>a<rz{>o7<ri -art- 

Zff6z)$ 

Etftuv Iv XiKT^onri vttLqa xgvtrfi 'AQgoYirii ; 



Toy o' ri/AtiStT zrftirct ^iicxrogo; 'A^yzifovrtis. 
Ai yxg touto yzvoiro, ava.% IxctTr/SoX' 'AjtoX- 

XoV 
Azfffio) ij.iv <r(ns Toffirot dffzigovzs af&<p)$ %%0izv, 
'TpzTs S' zlffooourz S-zo), "sroiam tz S-'zaivai, 
Alra,^ zyuv zv^oif&i zsxga. Xi UIT ^ 'A^oS/ttj. 
fl fls zipar iv Tz y'z\w$ wgr aixvurotai SzeT- 

ffn. 



He who gilds the skies, 



The gay Apollo thus to Hermes cries. 

Wou'dst thou enchain'd like Mars, oh 
Hermes, lie 

And bear the shame like Mars, to share 
the joy ? 

O envied shame ! (the smiling youth 
rejoin'd,) 

Add thrice the chains, and thrice more 
firmly bind ; 

Gaze all ye gods, and ev'ry goddess gaze, 

Yet eager I would bless the .sweet dis- 
grace. 

Loud laugh the rest. 

Mr. Pope. 

347. Aque Chao.] According to 
Hesiod, Chaos was before the other 
gods ; and from him the rest were 
generated : 

"Hroi ftzv ■sr^aritflu, Xdog y'zvzr. 

'Ek Xdzo; §' 'EgzSos <rz pzkxtvd rz Nt»| 
\y'zvov\o. 

Numerabat^] It is narrabat in one 
of Dr. Mead's manuscripts, and in 
the old Venice edition of 1476 and 
1482. 

350. Vitreisque sedilibus.] In the 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



401 



Obstupuere : sed ante alias Arethusa sorores 
Prospiciens, summa flavum caput extulit unda, 
Et procul: O gemitu non frustra exterrita tan to, 
Cyrene soror; ipse tibi tua maxima cura 
Tristis Aristaeus Penei genitoris ad undam 355 
Stat lachrymans, et te crudelem nomine dicit. 
Huic percussa nova mentem formidine mater, 
Due age due ad nos; fas illi limina divum 
Tangere, ait : simul alta jubet discedere late 
Flumina, qua juvenis gressus inferret : at ilium 
Curvata in montis faciem circumstetit unda, 361 
Accepitque sinu vasto, misitque sub amnem. 
Jamque domum mirans genetricis, et humida 
regna, 



but Arethusa looking for- 
wards beyond the other sis- 
ters, raised her golden head 
above the top of the water ; 
and called from afar ; O sister 
Cyrene, not in vain astonished 
at so great a wailing ; your 
own Aristaeus, your greatest 
care, stands grievously la- 
menting, by the spring of 
your father Peneus, and call3 
you cruel by name. Hence 
the mother having her mind 
smitten with a new dread, 
cries, Come, bring him, bring 
him to us; it is lawful for 
him to touch the thresholds 
of the gods. At the same 
time she commands the deep 
river to open wide, for the 
youth to enter : and the wa- 
ter stood round him heaped 
up like a mountain, and re- 
ceived him into its vast bo- 
som, and admitted him under 
the river. And now admiring 
the habitation of his mother, 
and the watery realms, 



King's manuscript it is vitreis quoque 
sedibus. 

352. Flavum."] Pierius reads pla- 
cidum: but he is better pleased with 
flavum, which he found in most of 
the ancient manuscripts. 

355. Penei genitoris.] We have 
seen already, that Peneus,, according 
to Pindar, was the grandfather of 
Cyrene. 

357- Huic.'] In one of the Arun- 
delian, one of Dr. Mead's manu- 
scripts, and in some old printed edi- 
tions, it is hinc. 

359. Discedere.] It is descendere 
in one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 

36l. Curvata in montis faciem.] 
Thus Homer : 

Thus also Ovid : 

Cum mare surrexit; cumulusque im- 

manis aquarum 
In montis speciem curvari, et crescere 

visus. 

363. Jamque domum, &c] This 
paragraph contains the entrance of 
Aristaeus within the earth, and his 



astonishment at the sight of the 
sources of the several rivers. 

Servius observes, that what is 
here said is not by a poetical liberty, 
but is taken from the sacred mys- 
teries of the Egyptians. For on 
certain days sacred to the Nile, 
some boys, born of holy parents, 
were delivered to the nymphs by 
the priests. Who, when they were 
grown up and returned back, related 
that there were groves under the 
earth, and an immense water con- 
taining all things, and from which 
every thing is procreated. Whence, 
according to Thales, Oceanumque 
patrem rerum. 

Homer makes the ocean to be 
the source of all rivers : 



fixtiuppurao f^iya aQ'ivoi uxiu.- 



'E£ ov-xig zfdvrts zrorafio) ku) zsSL<tc& S-«- 

Ka.) zrciffui xfivut kbc) tp^ilara ftoixga vxov- 
civ. 

TW eternal ocean, from whose fountains 

flow 
The seas, the rivers, and the springs he- 
low. 



low, 

3 * 



Mr. Pope. 



402 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



and the lakes shut up in dens, 
and the sounding groves, he 
went along, and astonished at 
the vastmotion of the waters, 
he surveyed all the rivers gl'd- 
ing under the earth in differ- 
ent places. Phasi- and Lycus, 
and the head whence great 
Enipeus first breaks forth, 
whence father Tyber, and 
whence the floods of Anio, 
and Hypanis sounding over 
the rocks, and Mysian Caicus, 



Speluncisque lacus clausos, lucosque sonantes, 
Ibat, et ingenti mota stupefactus aquarum, 365 
Omnia sub magna labentia flumina terra 
Spectabat diversa locis, Phasimque, Lycumque, 
Et caput, unde altus primum se erumpit Enipeus, 
Unde pater Tiberinus, et unde Aniena fluenta, 
Saxosumque sonans Hypanis, Mysusque Caicus, 



But Plato, whom Virgil seems to 
follow here, as he did before con- 
cerning the soul of the world, sup- 
poses all the rivers to rise from a 
great cavern, which passes through 
the whole earth, and is called by 
the poets Barathrum, and Tartarus : 
*Ev n rcov ^xa-^drm ittg ySfe, xKKag rs 
[Aiyirrov rwy%dm ov, x.x) 2iXft7Ti^lg T6- 

%og i'tTCi Xsyav ccvto, 

Tyke fidk% $%i (ioi^trjov vvo %0ovos l/]t /3j- 

o kou cbxXoOi kxi laiivog Keel xXXoi -zroXXot 
rm TzroiYiTav ToigTot^ov x.ix.XviKot,eriv. This 
opinion of Plato is largely opposed 
by Aristotle, in his second book of 
Meteorology ; To 2s lv Oxfian yi- 
yqxppkvov zrigi ts rZv 'z?6TX(aojv xxi tjJs 
SxXxilng, udvveiTov \<£\i. The doctrine 
however of a subterraneous abyss 
of waters has been of no small use 
to some modern philosophers in the 
construction of their theories. 

367. Phasimque Lycumque.] These 
rivers, according to Strabo, are two 
of the most famous of Armenia, and 
fall into the Black sea : Jlorxpo} dl 
■zrXuovg piv iia-tv lv Ty %apc&. yvapifjuas- 
rxlci 21 Qxcrtg ph xxi Avxog, tig rhv 
IIovTixtjv hc.7Tt7rloi1tg SxXxtIxv. ('Egxro- 
c6'iv/ig §' xvri rev Avxov rt'9n<ri Qi^fnoaovlx 
cvx, tv.) iig tw Kxftixv 21 Kvgog, xxi 
'A^lm' *U 2t rh 'E^vQ^xv o n Ev- 
tyqxrvtg, xxi o Tiygig. 

36S. Primum se erumpit Enipeus."] 
Pierius found primum se rumpit in 
the Roman manuscript: and pri- 



mum erumpit in that oblong one, 
which Pomponius Lsetus used to 
call his darling; also in the Medi- 
cean it had been altered from the 
same reading. I find primus erupit 
in the King's manuscript, primum 
erupit in one of Dr. Mead's, and pri- 
mum se erupit in the Cambridge ma- 
nuscript, and in the old Venice edi- 
tion of 1475. 

Pierius found Enipheus in some 
old manuscripts. It is Enitheus in 
one of Dr. Mead's. 

Enipeus is a river of Thessaly 
flowing through Pharsalus, and fall- 
ing into Peneus, according to Strabo : 

'O 2' 'Evnrtvg xno rig 'Ofyvog -zsrx^x <J>atg- 
cxXov hvtig, tig rov A7ri2xvov ■&xfo&xXXu J 
o 2' tig rov n-/jv£;ov. 

Homer calls this river the divine 
Enipeus, and the beautiful streams 
of Enipeus : 

4>>5 Vi Kgydrto; yvvn 'if/.uivxi A/aX/«"«a, 
"H z3o\a.fx.ov tigdtrffur 'Evivrijos Suoio 
°Os -aroXu xaXXiff]o$ zfora.fi.ut If) yaTa* 
'Irto-r 

Kxl §' W 'EwstJnjj zfuXitrxiro xaXa piifytt. 

369. Pater Tiberinus.'] The Ty- 
ber, on the banks of which Rome 
is built. 

One of Dr. Mead's manuscripts 
has caput instead of pater. 

Aniena fluenta.] The Anio is a 
river of Italy. 

370. Hypanis.] The Hypanis is 
a river of Scythia. 

Mysusque Caicus.] The Caicus 
rises in Mysia. 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



403 



Et gemina auratus taurino cornua vultu 371 
Eridanus ; quo non alius per pinguia culta 
In mare purpureum violentior effluit amnis. 
Postquam est in thalami pendentia pumice tecta 
Perventum ; et nati fletus cognovit inanes 375 
Cyrene ; manibus liquidos dant ordine fontes 
Germanse, tonsisque ferunt mantelia villis. 



and Eridanus having the face 
of a bull with gilded horns ; 
than which no river rushes 
more violently through the 
fruitful fields into the sinning 
sea. After he was arrived 
under the roof of the cham- 
ber hanging with pumice 
stones, and Cyrene knew the 
vain lamentations of her son ; 
her sisters in order pour pure 
water on his hands, and bring 
smooth towels: 



371. Gemina auratus taurino cor- 
nua vultu Eridanus.] The Eridanus, 
called also the Po, is a great and fa- 
mous river of Italy. It is common 
with the poets to represent great 
rivers with the face of a bull. 

373. In mare purpureum.] Vic- 
torinus, according to Servius, ima- 
gined the Poet to mean the Red 
sea : a monstrous supposition, that 
a river should rise in Italy, and have 
its outlet near India. Purple is an 
epithet frequently given to the sea 
by the ancients. See the note on 
book iii. ver. 359. 

Effluit.] I follow Heinsiusj 
though injluit is the common read- 
ing. Pierius found effluit in the 
Roman and other most ancient ma- 
nuscripts. 

374. Postquam est, &c] This 
paragraph contains the reception of 
Aristaeus by his mother, her instruc- 
tions, and the character of Proteus. 

375. Perventum et nati fletus.] In 
the king's manuscript it is Perven- 
tum nati flentes ; where Jlentes is ma- 
nifestly a mistake. 

Inanesr\ Servius says these la- 
mentations were vain, because they 
were moved by things easy to be re- 
paired, in which he is followed by 
Grimoaldus and LaCerda. Ruseus 
interprets inanes, immoderatos : but 
on what authority I do not know. 

376. Manibus liquidos dant ordine 
fontes.] Dare aquam manibus is a 
frequent Latin expression. Thus 
our Poet again in the first iEneid : 



Dant famuli manibus lymphas, Cere- 

remque canistris 
Expediunt, tonsisque ferunt mantelia 

villis. 

377. Tonsisque ferunt mantelia 
villis.] It is commonly spelt man- 
tilia: but Heinsius and Masvicius 
read mantelia, which I find also in 
the Bodleian, and in one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts. Vossius also 
prefers mantelia, and observes that 
this word is written mantelum, man* 
tellum, and mantelium. He also 
quotes a comment of the Servius of 
Fabricius, for it is not in that of 
Daniel, which I have by me, wherein 
Servius observes, that Varro called 
them mantelia, as it were manutenia, 
and that Plautus used mantelium, 
and IjUciMus mantelia : " Varro ap- 
'* pellat mantelia, quasi manutenia. 
" Cseterum Plautus hujus singulare 
" mantelium posuit in Captivis : 

" Nee his sycophantiis, nee fucis ullum 

*' mantelium inveniam. 
** Lucilius autem mantelia dicit ; 
'* Mappas, mantelia, merum- 

" que, 

" quae Grseci /tt«v£v#vocant." Vos- 
sius farther observes, that there is 
probably an error in this note of 
Servius, and that it should be manu- 
teria, rather than manutenia, be- 
cause Varro derives it a tergendo, 
and not a tenendo ; "Mantelium 
ft quasi manuterium, ubi maims 
" terguntur," says Varro. 

Mantelium certainly signifies a 
towel, and it seems to have been 
3 f2 



404 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



some load the tables with 
viands, and place full cups ; 
the altars blaze with Pan- 
chasan fires Then, says the 
mother, take these goblets of 
Mseonian wine : let us make 
a libation to Oceanus. At 
the same time she prays to 
Oceanus, the father of all 
things, and to the sister 
nymphs, of whom a hundred 
preserve the groves, a hun- 
dred the rivers. Thrice she 
poured liquid nectar on the 
burning fire ; thrice the rising 
flame shone up to the top of 
the roof. With which omen 
being confirmed, she thus 
began : There is a prophet 
in the Carpathian gulph of 
Neptune, 



Pars epulis onerat mensas, et plena reponunt 
Pocula. Panchaeis adolescunt ignibus arse. 
Et mater, cape Maeonii carchesia Bacchi; 380 
Oceano libemus, ait, simul ipsa precatur 
Ocean unique patrem rerum, Nymphasque so- 

rores, 
Centum quae sylvas, centum quae flumina servant. 
Ter liquido ardentem perfudit nectare Vestam ; 
Ter flamma ad summum tecti subjecta reluxit. 
Omine quo firmans animum, sic incipit ipsa, 386 
Est in Carpathio Neptuni gurgite vates, 



made of some woolly or nappy sort 
of cloth, which nice people had 
shorn or clipped, for the greater 
smoothness and delicacy. Our nap- 
klns were probably of the same sort 
formerly, the word seeming to have 
been derived from nap. 

379- Panchceis ignibus.] Panchsea 
is a country of Arabia felix, fa- 
mous for frankincense. Thus our 
Poet in the second Georgick : 

Totaque thuriferis PanchaTa pinguis are- 
nis. 

380. Mac-nil carchesia Bacchi.] 
Servius interprets McEonii, Lydii. 
Philargyrius adds, that Lydia was 
anciently called Mseonia, and that 
the mountain Tmolus, famous for 
good wine, is id, that country. 
Strabo mentions a.. country called 
Catacecaumene, which is otherwise 
called Mysia and Mseonia, and was 
remarkable for affording no other 
tree than that sort of vine from 
which the catacecaumenian wine is 
obtained, which yields to none in 
elegance : Mztoc, til rocvr Wh K#T«s«g- 

■zrivrxKOFicov ^oChiuv-, ■zsr'hd.rot; dl rzTf>ctx.o- 
<rlav, tin Mvtriav %(>y) xctXtTv, iirt Mso- 
victv' XiyiTxi yu.% otfAtyoTZpus' oo7rctvlx 



Xoylftav UQiTYl XiiTTOftiVOV. 

The carchesium was an oblong 
sort of cup, a little flatted about the 
middle, and having the handles 
reaching from top to bottom. 

382. Oceanumque patrem rerum,~\ 
This expression is according to the 
philosophy of Thales, who was of 
opinion, that all things were ori- 
ginally derived from water. Homer 
makes Oceanus the father of all the 
gods: 

'rtKiavov rt 3-iZv yivariv, xu.) (wri^a TnSvt. 

384. Perfudit nectare Vestam.] In 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts it is 
perfundit. 

Nectar is here used for wine, as 
in the fifth Eclogue : 

Vina novum fundam calathis Arvisia 
nectar. 

The ancients had two Vesta's, one 
the mother of Saturn, who is the 
same with the earth j and the other 
the daughter of the same deity, who 
presides over hearths. See the note 
on book i. ver. 498. 

387. Carpathio.] Carpathus, now 
called Scarpanto, is an island of the 
Mediterranean, over against Egypt, 
from which the neighbouring sea 
was called Carpathian, 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



405 



Caeruleus Proteus, magnum qui piscibus sequor 
Et juncto bipedum curru metitur equorum. 
Hie nunc Emathiae portus patriamque revisit 390 
Pallenen : hunc et nymphae veneramur, et ipse 
Grandaevus Nereus: novit namque omnia vates, 
Quae sint, quae fuerint, quae mox ventura tra- 

hantur. 
Quippe ita Neptuno visum est: immania cujus 
Armenta, et turpes pascit sub gurgite phocas. 395 
Hie tibi, nate, prius vinclis capiendus, ut omnem 



blue Proteus, who measures 
the great sea with fishes, and 
with his chariot drawn by 
two-legged horses. He now 
rev sits the ports of Ematlna, 
and his own country Pallene j 
him we nymphs reverence, as 
does also aged Nereus; for 
the prophet knows every 
thing, what is, what was, and 
what is to come. For so 
Neptune has thought fit : 
whose monstrous herds, and 
ugly sea calves he feeds under 
the gulph. Him, my son, you 
must f rst take in chains, that 
he may 



3S8. Proteus.] It does not ap- 
pear certainly from ancient history, 
who this Proteus really was. Ho- 
mer makes him an Egyptian. He- 
rodotus represents him as a king of 
Egypt. Some suppose him to have 
been a sophist, others a tumbler, 
&c. Sir Isaac Newton, finding him 
to have been contemporary with 
Amenophis or Memnon, takes him 
to have been only a viceroy to Ame- 
nophis, and to have governed some 
part of the lower Egypt, in his ab- 
sence. The poets however have 
made him a sea-god, and servant 
to Neptune. This whole fable of 
Proteus is an imitation of the fourth 
Odyssey, where Homer represents 
Menelaus consulting this deity, by 
the advice and with the assistance 
of his own daughter Eidothea. 

389- Et juncto.] It is evincto in 
one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 

Bipedum equorumi] These ficti- 
tious sea-horses are supposed to re- 
semble horses in their foreparts with 
two legs, and to end in a tail like 
fishes. Therefore Virgil calls them 
both fishes and horses. 

390. Emathice.] See the note on 
book i. ver. 489. 

391. Pallenen.'] Pallene is a pen- 
insula of Macedon. Virgil makes 
this the native country of Proteus, 
though it has been already observed, 



Homer calls him an Egyptian. He 
might perhaps be born in Macedon, 
and then travel into Egypt; for ac- 
cording to Herodotus, he was an 
obscure person in that country. 

Veneramur.] It is venerantur in 
the King's and in one of the Arun- 
delian manuscripts, and in the old 
Paris edition of 1494, 

393. Sint.] It is stmt in one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 

Fuerint7\ It is fuerant in one of 
the Arundelian manuscripts. 

Trahantur.] It is trahuntur in 
the King's manuscript. 

394. Ita Neptuno visum est.~] 
Homer makes Proteus a servant of 
Neptune : 

, A6ava.rot Xlgorths Alyvvrrios o$ rt $-xXa<r- 

Ild<r'/is fiiv&sx oTSs. Tioirt^duvoi v7toby,us. 

Proteus a name tremendous o'er the 

main, 
The delegate of Neptune's wat'ry reign. 
Mr. Pope. 

396. Vinclis capiendus7\ Homer 
says he must be seized, in order to 
make him discover what is required 
of him : 

Tovy' i'Ittus av luvato Xa^W^eva? KiXx- 

"Os *iv toi il'T'/io'iv oSov xat fjcir^a xtXtufav 
Uo<rrov0' a>s l<ri zffovrov \"kiuoia,i l%6ubivra,. 
Watch with insidious care his known 
abode ; 



406 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



discover the whole cause of 
the disease, and give you 
good success. For without 
force, he will not give you 
any advice, nor can )Ou win 
him by prayers : when you 
have taken him, use violence 
and chains ; against these his 
tricks will be vain. When 
the sun has scorched the mid- 
dle of the day, when the 
herbs wither, and the shade 
is grateful to the cattle, then 
I myself will lead you to the 
seniors retirement, where he 
withdraws from the waters ; 
that you may easily attack 
him whilst he is overcome 
with sleep. But when you 
hold him fast with your 
hands and chains; then will 
he deceive you with various 
forms and appearances of 
wild beasts. 



Expediat morbi causam, eventusque secundet. 
Nam sine vi non ulla dabit praecepta, neque ilium 
Orando flectes : vim duram et vincula capto 
Tende : doli circum haec demum frangentur 

inanes. 400 

Ipsa ego te, medios cum sol accenderit aestus, 
Cum sitiunt herbae, et pecori jam gratior umbra 

est, 
In secreta senis ducam, quo fessus ab undis 
Se recipit ; facile ut somno aggrediare jacentem. 
Verum ubi correptum manibus, vinclisque te- 

nebis; 405 

Turn variae el u dent species atque ora ferarum. 



There fast in chains constrain the various 

god: 
Who bound obedient to superior force, 
Unerring will prescribe your destin'd 

course. 

Mr. Pope. 

399- Flectes.] Pierius found vinces 
in the Medicean manuscript. It is 
the same in the King's, the Cam- 
bridge, the Bodleian, and in both 
the Arundelian manuscripts. 

401. Medios cum sol accenderit 
cestus7\ It is accederit in one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 

The heat of the day is mentioned 
also by Homer : 

*H[/a>S S* ri'tXtog pitrov ovgccriv a/ttpiStGrixu. 

When through the zone of heav'n the 

mounted sun 
Hath journey'd half, and half remains to 

run. 

Mr. Pope. 

403. Senis.] Thus Homer : 

— — — — .— eXofuta ro7o yigovros. 

405. Verum ubi correptum, &c] 
These changes of Proteus are evi- 
dently taken from Homer : 

n«vT« $1 yivopivo; zruono'ircu otrif it) yaTav 
'EfsTfTa ytvovrai, xou v}wg, xui SifTilaXs 



'Akk' art xiv $w a aires amignrai itritrfit, 

Tolas iuv olSv xt xartuvn^'ivra Tbyo-fa, 

Kott rort o*h c^iff^ai <re /3»jj, i.Zffccl rt y'%- 

£ovru 
"H^us. 

Instant he wears, elusive of the rape, 
The mimic force of every savage shape : 
Or glides with liquid lapse a murm'ring 

stream, 
Or wrapt in flame, he glows at ev'ry 

limb. 
Yet still retentive, with redoubled might 
Through each vain passive form con- 

strain his flight. 
But when, his native shape resum'd, he 

stands 
Patient of conquest, and your cause 

demands, 
The cause that urg'd the bold attempt 

declare, 
And sooth the vanquish'd with a victor's 

pray'r. 
The bands relax'd, implore the seer to 

say 
What Godhead interdicts the wat'ry way. 
Mr. Pope. 

406. Eludent.] So I read with the 
Cambridge and one of Dr. Mead's 
manuscripts, with most of the old 
editions, and Heinsius and Masvi- 
cius. Pierius found Indent in the 
Roman manuscript, eludunt in the 
old oblong one, eludent in the Lom- 
bard, the Medicean, and most of the 
ancient ones. It is illudent in both 
the Arundelian, and in the other 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



407 



Fiet enim subito sus horridus, atraque tigris, 
Squamosusque draco, et fulva cervice leaena : 
Aut acrem flammae sonitum dabit, atque ita 

vinclis 
Excidet, aut in aquas tenues dilapsus abibit. 410 
Sed quanto ille magis formas se vertet in omnes, 
Tanto, nate, magis contende tenacia vincla ; 
Donee talis erit mutato corpore, qualem 
Videris, incepto tegeret cum lumina somno. 
Hflecait, et liquid urn ambrosieediffunditodorem; 
Quo totum nati corpus perduxit: at illi 416 
Dulcis compositis spiravit crinibus aura, 
Atque habilis membris venit vigor. Est specus 

ingens 
Exesi latere in montis, quo plurima vento 
Cogitur, inque sinus scindit sese unda reductos ; 
Deprensis olim statio tutissima nautis. 421 

Intus se vasti Proteus tegit objice saxi. 
Hie juvenem in latebris aversum a lumine 

Nympha 
Collocat : ipsa procui nebulis obscura resist it. 



For on a sudden he will be- 
come a bristly boar, and a fell 
tyger, and a. scaly dragon, and 
a' lion with a yellow mane: 
or else he will make a roar* 
ing like fire, to escape the 
chains, or glide away in the 
fo m of flowing water. But 
the more he varies himself 
into all shapes, do you. my 
son, so much tlie more 
straiten the binding chains: 
till he shall transform his body 
into the same shape that you 
saw him have when he first 
vent to sleep. Having said 
thus, «he poured the liquid 
odour of Ambrosia upon her 
son, anointing his whole body 
with it ; whence a fragrant 
gale breathes from his hair, 
and strong vigour is infused 
into his limbs. There is a 
great den in the hollow side 
of a mountain, where much 
water is driven in by the 
wind, and is divided into 
many bays, sometimes a most 
safe station for mariners in 
distress. Within this place 
Proteus hides himself behind 
a vast rock. Here the Nymph 
places the young man in am- 
bush concealed from the 
light, and stands herself at a 
distance involved in a cloud. 



manuscript of Dr. Mead, which is 
admitted by La Cerda, Schrevelius, 
and Ruaeus. Many read illudunt. 

407. Alra.] Id est sceva, says 
Servius. 

411. Vertet.] It is veriit in one 
of the Arundelian, and in one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 

415. Hcec ait] This paragraph 
contains the seizing of Proteus. 

Ambrosice.] Pierius found am- 
brosia, in the ablative case, in some 
manuscripts. 

DiffundiW] Pierius says it is de- 
promit in the Roman manuscript. I 
find diffudit in the King's, both Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts, and in some 
printed editions. 

416. Perduxit] Pierius found per- 
fudit in the Roman manuscript. 



417- Aura.] It is auras in the 
Roman manuscript, according to 
Pierius. 

421. Deprensis.] It is depressis in 
the Cambridge manuscript. 

422. Intus.] In some copies it is 
inter. 

Vasti.] In the old Nurenberg 
edition it is casti. 

Objice.] In all the manuscripts 
that I have collated, and in many of 
the printed editions, it is obice. 

423. Aversum alumine.] In one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts, it is aver- 
sum lumine without a. Pierius found 
the same reading in most of the an- 
cient manuscripts. 

424. Resistit.] Some read recessit; 
but all the ancient manuscripts, ac- 
cording to Pierius, have resistit. It 



403 



P. VIRGILII MARON1S 



Now rapid Sinus, scorching 
the thirsty Indians, blazed in 
the heavens, and the tiery sun 
had finished half his course : 
the herbs were parched, and 
the rays boiled the hollow ri- 
vers to mud being heated 
with dry channels: when 
Proteus went to his accus- 
tomed den from the waves : 
the watery race of the vast 
sea rolling about him, scat- 
tered the bitter spray far 
about. The sea calves spread 
themselves asleep on the 
floor. He, like a herdsman 
on the mountains, when even- 
ing brings home the calves 
from feeding, and the lambs 
sharpen the wolves with loud 
bleatings, 



Jam rapidus, torrens sitientes Sirius Indos, 425 
Ardebat caelo; et medium sol igneus orbem 
Hauserat : arebant herbae, et cava flumina siccis 
Faucibus ad limum radii tepefacta coquebant. 
Cum Proteus consueta petens a fluctibus antra 
Ibat : eum vasti circum gens humida ponti 430 
Exultans rorem late dispersit amarum. 
Sternunt se somno diversae in litlore phocae. 
Ipse, velut stabuli custos in montibus olim, 
Vesper ubi e pastu vitulos ad tecta reducit, 
Auditisque lupos acuunt balatibus agni, 435 



is resistit in all the manuscripts that 
I have seen. 

425. Jam rapidus, &c.] Here the 
Poet uses a beautiful circumlocution, 
to express the middle of one of the 
hottest days in summer. Sirius, a 
star of the first magnitude in the 
mouth of the dog, rises about the 
time of the sun's entering into Leo, 
towards the latter end of July, 
making what we call the dog days. 
He shews it to be the time of noon, 
by saying the sun had finished the 
middle or half of his course. All 
these words, rapidus, torrens, siti- 
entes, Indos, ardebat, igneus, are ex- 
pressive of great heat. He enlarges 
the idea, by representing the grass 
burnt up, and the rivers boiled to 
mud. It was the violent heat that 
caused Proteus to retire into his 
cave, where he would be the more 
easily surprised, being fatigued and 
glad to sleep. 

427- Arebant7\ It is ardebant in 
the King's manuscript. 

431. Dispersit.] It is commonly 
read dispergit: but Pier i us found 
dispersit in the Medicean and other 
manuscripts. I find dispersit in the 
King's, both the Arundelian, and in 
both Dr. Mead's manuscripts. This 



reading is admitted also by Hein- 
sius and Masvicius. 

Amarum.] The sea water is really 
bitter as well as salt. Homer has 
used the same epithet : 

432. Diversce.] So Pierius found 
it in the Roman and other manu- 
scripts of greater note. In one of 
the Arundelian manuscripts, in the 
old Nurenberg edition, and in Schre- 
velius, it is diverso. But diversce is 
received by Heinsius, and most of 
the good editors. 

433. Ipse, velut stabuli custos, &c] 
This simile also is in Homer : 

As|st«; h ftiffffoi<ri youth; u>; Kutfi p.f,Xuv. 

Repos'd in sleep profound 

The scaly charge their guardian god 

surround : 
So with his batt'ning flocks the careful 

swain 
Abides, pavilion 'd on the grassy plain. 
Mr. Pope. 

434. Reducit.'] It is reduxit in 
one of the Arundelian manuscripts. 

435. Auditisque.~] So Pierius 
found it in the Roman and Medi- 
cean manuscripts. It is the same 
in the Cambridge manuscript. All 
the other copies have auditique. 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



409 



Considit scopulo medius, numerumque recenset. 
Cujus Aristaeo quoniam est oblata facultas ; 
Vix defessa senem passus componere membra, 
Cum clamore ruit magno, manicisque jacentem 
Occupat. Ille suae contra non immemor artis, 
Omnia transformat sese in miracula rerum, 441 
Ignemque, horribilemque feram, fluviumque li- 

quentem. 
Verum ubi nulla fugam reperit pellacia, victus 
In sese redit, atque hominis tandem ore locutus : 
Nam quis te, juvenum confidentissime, nostras 
Jussit adire domos ? quidve hinc petis ? inquit. 

At ille : 446 



sits in the midst on a rock, 
and reviews his number. As 
soon as Aiistaeus had got this 
opportunity, scarce suffering 
the old deity to compose his 
wearied members, he rushes 
upon him with a great shout, 
and binds him. He on the 
other side, not forgetful of 
his wonted art, transforms 
himself into all sorts of won- 
derful shapes, a fire, a dread- 
ful wild beast, and a flowing 
river. But when his deceit 
found no escape, being con- 
quered, he returned to his 
own form, and at lengthspoke 
with human voice : Who, O 
most presumptuous youth, 
who commanded you to ap- 
proach my habitation? or 
what do you want here ? says 
he.-, To- which he answered, 



Heinsius and most of the editors 
read auditisque. 

436. Considit.] Pierius reads con- 
sedit, and mentions considit, as being 
only in the Roman manuscript. It 
is consedit in both the Arundelian, 
and in both Dr. Mead's manu- 
scripts j conscendit in the King's, 
but considit in the Bodleian and 
Cambridge copies ; which last is 
admitted by Heinsius, and most of 
the editors. 

439. Cum clamore ruit magno, 
&c] Thus Menelaus in Homer : 

B«AX<y*sv, ova yigav o~o\'ws itikfihto 

'AX\' %roi zr^urtffra Xiav yivtr yvyivuos, 
Aurxg etftirx o~gdxuv y xxi zvd$xXi$ t $« 

ftiyxs ffv$. 
Tivtro 3' vygov tft&g, xxi o"tvb'(>t6v v\pi9firtiXov. 
'Hf&tTg o* uffTtfAtpius %%o(&iv rtrXnort 3-u/u.a. 
*AXX* ort ov £ dvix% o yi^uv oXoipdix tfoufy 
Kx) rors S>j (a Witireriv xvagop,$vos vrgoo-'euxsv, 
Tig vv rat 'Argios uu Stuv ffufttygxcro-xro 

fiovXxs, 

"Otp^x ft 'iXots dixevret Xo%*iffdf*ivos ; rio 01 

Rushing impetuous forth we strait pre- 
pare 
A furious onset with the sound of war, 



And shouting seize the god : our force t' 
evade 

His various arts he soon resumes in aid : 

A lion now, he curls a surgy mane ; 

Sudden, our bands a spotted pard re- 
strain ; 

Then arm'd with tusks, and lightning 
in his eyes, 

A boar's obscener shape the god belies : 

On spiry volumes there a dragon rides : 

Here, from our strict embrace a stream 
he glides : 

And last, sublime his stately growth he 
rears, 

A tree, and well dissembled foliage 
wears. 

Vain efforts ! with superior pow'r com- 
press'd 

Me with reluctance thus the seer ad- 
dressed ; 

Say, son of Atreus, say what god inspir'd 

This daring fraud, and what the boon 
desir'd ?" 

Mr. Pope. 

439- Manicisque.] It is vinclisque 
in the King's manuscript. 

443. Pellacia.] The common 
reading is fallacia. 1 have restored 
pellacia, on the authority of Hein- 
sius. Pierius also found pellacia in 
some manuscripts. In the second 
iEneid we find 

■■ Invidia. postquam pellacis Ulyssei. 
3 G " 



410 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



You know, O Proteus, you 
know yourself; nor is it in 
any one's power to deceive 
you . But do you cease to do 
so : I came by the command 
of the gods, to consult you 
about mv ruined affairs. When 
he had thus spoken, the seer, 
with great violence, rolled his 
eyes flashing with bluish 
light j and grinding his teeth, 
thus opened his mouth to re- 
veal the fates. It is not with- 
out some deity that you are 
punished : you suffer for a 
great crime : Orpheus, not 
miserable for any desert of 
his, calls for these punish- 
ments on you, unless the 
fates resist, 



Scis, Proteu, scis ipse: nequeesttefallerecuiquam. 
Sed tu desine velle : deum preecepta secuti 
Venimus hinc lapsis quaesiturr. oracula rebus. 
Tantum effatus ; ad hsec vates vi denique multa 
Ardentes oculos intorsit lumine glauco, 451 
Et graviter frendens, sic fatis ora resolvit : 
Non te nullius exercent nu minis irae. 
Magna luis commissa : tibi has miserabilis Or- 
pheus 
Haudquaquam ob meritum, poenas, ni fata re- 



sistant, 



455 



447- Scis, Proteu, scis ipse.] Thus 
also Menelaus. 

Neque est te fallere cuiquam. ] A 
Graecisra, for nee licet cuiquam; 
thus in the second Eclogue, nee sit 
mihi credere. Thus also Horace, 
quod versu dicere non est. 

449. Venimus, hinc lapsis.] This 
reading was found by Pierius in 
the Roman and other ancient ma- 
nuscripts. It is the same in one 
of the Arundelian, and in both Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts. It is admitted 
also by Heinsius, Masvicius, and 
several of the old editors. 

450. Tantum effatus, &c] The 
Poet now proceeds to the answer of 
Proteus, wherein he tells Aristseus, 
the cause of his disaster was the 
injury offered by him to Eurydice, 
the wife of Orpheus. This whole 
story is told by Virgil in so beau- 
tiful a manner, that it does not 
seem unworthy of the mouth of a 
deity. 

453. Non te nullius.] Servius 
interprets this non humilis sed magni; 
but the Nymphs, who were of- 
fended with Aristseus, were not 
great deities : and as for Orpheus 
and Eurydice, they were no deities 
at all. 



454. Magna luis commissa.] La 
Cerda reads lues, and interprets it 
nam commissa quidem est magna lues 
tuarum apum, deletceque omnes ingenti 
occidione. But luis is generally un- 
derstood to be a verb, which seems 
to be the best interpretation. 

Orpheus.'] He was the son of 
(Eagrus, a king, or, according to 
Servius, a river of Thrace, by the 
muse Calliope. Some will have 
him to be the son of Apollo : but 
I believe Virgil was not of that 
opinion 3 because, in the fourth 
Eclogue, he derives the poetical skill 
of Linus from his father Apollo, 
and that of Orpheus from his 
mother Calliope : 

Non me carminibus vincet nee Thracius 

Orpheus, 
Nee Linus : huic mater quamvis, atque 

huic pater adsit, 
Orphei Calliopea, Lino formosus Apollo. 

Not Titration Orpheus' self should me 

excels 
Nor Linus: tho' his mother him should 

aid, 
His father him: Calliope inspire 
Orpheus, Apollo dictate Linus'' verse. 

Dr. Tbapp. 

He is highly celebrated for his extra- 
ordinary skill in music and poetry, 
and was one of the Argonauts. 

455. Haudquaquam ob meritum.] 
Some refer these words to pxnas, 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



411 



Suscitat; et rapta graviter pro conjuge saevit. 
Ilia quidem, dum te fugeret per flumina praeceps, 
Immanem ante pedes hydrum moritura puella 
Servantem ripas alta non vidit in herba. 
At chorus aequalis Dryadum clamore supre- 
mos 460 
Implerunt montes : flerunt Rhodopeiae arces, 
Altaque Pangaea, et Rhesi Mavortia tellus, 
Atque Getae, atque Hebrus, et Actias Orithyia. 
Ipse cava solans aegrum testudine amorem, 
Te, dulcis conjux, te solo in littore secum, 465 



and grievously rages for his 
ravished wife. Whilst she 
fled hastily from you along 
the river's side, the dying 
maid did not see a cruel wa- 
ter snake before her feet, that 
was guarding the banks in 
the high grass. But the choir 
of her sister Dryads filled the 
tops of the mountains with 
their cries : the rocks of Rho- 
dope wept, and high Pangaea, 
and the martial land of Rhe- 
sus, and the Getae, and He- 
brus, and Attic Orithyia. He 
assuaging his love-sick mind 
with his hollo w lyre, lamented 
thee, sweet wife, thee on the 
solitary shore, 



in which sense they are understood 
by May : 

— — To thee this punishment 
Though not so great as thou deserv'st is 
sent. 

Others refer them to miserabilis 
Orpheus. Thus Dryden : 

For crimes, not his, the lover lost his 
life: 

And Dr. Trapp : 

Orpheus, unhappy by no guilt of his. 

461. Rhodope'ice arces.] Rhodope 
and Pangaea are mountains of 
Thrace. 

462. Pangaa.] Some copies have 
Panchaia, but it is an absurd read- 
ing ; for Panchaia belongs to Ara- 
bia, whereas Orpheus was con- 
fessedly a Thracian. 

Rhesi Mavortia tellus.] Mars was 
said to be horn in Thrace. Rhesus 
was the son of Mars, and king of 
Thrace in the time of the Trojan 
war, which was after the death of 
Orpheus. 

463. Getce.] The Getae were a 
people dwelling in the neighbour- 
hood of Thrace. 

Hebrus.] A river of Thrace. 
Et Actias Orithyia.] Some read 
atque instead of et. 

Orithyia was the daughter of 



Erectheus, king of the Athenians. 
She was ravished by Boreas, and 
carried into Thrace. 

464. Cava testudine.] The Poet 
calls the lyre cava testudo, because 
the ancient lyres were really made 
of the shells of tortoises. It was a 
received story among the ancients, 
that Mercury, finding accidentally 
a dead tortoise on the banks of the 
Nile, made a lyre of it : whence 
Horace calls him curves lyrce paren- 
tern. To this story the same Poet 
also alludes, in the eleventh ode of 
the third book : 

Tuque, Testudo, resonare septem Cal- 

lida nervis, 
Nee loquax olim, neque grata ; 

And in the third Ode of the fourth 
book: 

O Testudinis aureae 
Dulcem quae strepitum, Pieri, temperas ! 

O mutis quoque piscibus 
Donatura cygni, si libeat, sonum ! 

See the Philosophical Transactions, 
numb. 282. pag. 1267- Jones's 
Abridgment, vol. iv. pag. 474. 

465. Te, dulcis conjux, 8$c] There 
is something wonderfully pleasing 
in the repetition of te in these lines. 



But Dryden has 
translation: 
3 G 2 



omitted it in his 



412 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



thee when day approached, 
thee when it disappeared. 
He also approached the jaws 
of Taenarus, the lofty gates of 
Pluto, and entering the grove 
gloomy with black horror, he 
approached the Manes, and 
the tremendous king, and the 
hearts that know not how to 
relent at human prayers. But 
the thin shades being stirred 
up by his song from the lowest 
mansions or Erebus moved 
along, and ghosts, deprived 
of light: innumerable as 
birds when they hide them- 
selves in the leaves by thou- 
sands, at the approach of 
evening, or driven from the 
hills by a wintery storm : mo- 
thers and husbands, and the 
departed bodies of magnani- 
mous heroes, boys and un- 
married girls, and youths laid 
on funeral piles before the 
faces of their parents, whom 
the black mud and squalid 
reeds of Cocytus, and the lake 
hateful with stagnant water 
incloses around, and Styx nine 
times interfused restrains. 
But the very habitations, and 
deepest dungeons of death 
were astonished, and the fu- 
ries having their locks twisted 
with blue snakes, and gaping 
Cerberus restrained his three 
mouths, and the whirling of 
Ixion's wheel rested at his 
singing. 



Te veniente die, te decedente canebat. 
Taenurias etiam fauces, alta ostia Ditis, 
Et caligantem nigra formidine lucum 
Ingressus, Manesque adiit, regemquetremendum, 
Nesciaque humanis precibus mansuescere corda. 
At cantu commotee Erebi de sedibus imis 471 
Umbrae ibant tenues, simulachraque luce ca- 

rentum : 
Quam multa in foliis avium se millia condunt, 
Vesper ubi, aut hybernus agit de montibus imber : 
Matres atque viri, defunctaque corpora vita 475 
Magnanimum heroum, pueri, innuptsequepuellae, 
Impositique rogis juvenes ante ora parentum, 
Quos circum limus niger, et deformis arundo 
Cocyti, tardaque palus inamabilis unda 
Alligat, et novies Styx interfusa coercet. 480 
Quin ipsae stupuere domus, atque intima Lethi 
Tartara, caeruleosque implexae crinibus angues 
Eumenides, tenuitque inhians tria Cerberus ora, 
Atque Ixionii cantu rota constitit orbis. 



On thee, dear wife, in deserts all alone, 
He call'd, sigh'd, sung, his griefs with 

day begun, 
Nor were they finish'd with the setting 

sun, 

467. Tanarias fauces.] Taenarus 
is a promontory of Peloponnesus, 
fabled to be the entrance into the 
infernal regions. 

469. Manes."] This word is used 
for departed souls, for the places 
where they dwell, and also for the 
infernal deities. 

471. Erebi."] Erebus, according 
to Hesiod, was the son of Chaos j 

'E* Kaios 3' "EgtSos re ftikccivd <rt Nv| 
ty'movro : 

but according to some, it is the 
name of the profoundest mansion 
of hell. 

472. Ibant.] In the King's ma- 
nuscript it is stant. 



473. Foliis.] The common read- 
ing is sylvis; but Pierius found/oZiis 
in all the ancient manuscripts. I 
find foliis in one of the Arundelian, 
and in one of Dr. Mead's manu- 
scripts. Heinsius also reads foliis. 

479. Cocyti.] Cocytus and Styx 
are rivers of hell. 

480. Inamabilis.] Some read in- 
nabilis, as I find it in the King's and 
in one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 
But inamabilis seems to be the true 
reading, and i9 generally received. 

481. Stupuere.] It is obstupuere 
in one of Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 

482. Implexce.] Pierius found 
amplexm in the Lombard and other 
manuscripts, and innexce in the Ro- 
man. It is amplexce in the King's 
manuscript, and in the old Nuren- 
berg edition. 

484. Cantu.] The usual reading 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



413 



Jam que pedem referens casus evaserat omnes, 485 
Redditaque Eurydice superas veniebat ad auras, 
Pone sequens ; namque hanc dederat Proserpina 

legem : 
Cum subita incautum dementia cepit amantem, 
Ignoscenda quidem, scirent si ignoscere Manes. 
Restitit, Eurydicenque suam jam luce sub ipsa, 
Immemor heu ! victusque animi respexit. Ibi 



And now returning he had 
escaped all dangers ; and his 
restored Eurydice was coming 
to the upper air following be- 
hind; for Proserpina had 
given those conditions : when 
a sudden madness seized the 
unwary lover, pardonable 
however, did the Manes know 
how to pardon. He stopped, 
and now, even attheconhnes 
of light, thoughtless alas! 
and deprived of understand- 
ing, he looked back at his 
Eurydice, there all his labour 
vanished, and the conditions 
of the cruel tyrant 



omnis 



491 



Effusus labor, atque immitis rupta tyranni 



is vento, which I do not find any of 
the commentators can make tolera- 
ble sense. Servius says cum is un- 
derstood,, and therefore the meaning 
is, that Ixion's wheel stood still 
with its wind, that is, with the 
cause of its volubility. Philargyrius 
thinks vento is put for ventu, and 
that for adventu, and so the sense 
will be, the wheel stood still at 
his approach. La Cerda interprets 
vento, in aere, in the air. Ruaeus 
strains it to flante vento contrario, a 
contrary wind blowing. If the 
reader approves of any of these 
interpretations, he is welcome to 
restore vento. For my own part, I 
find them so unsatisfactory, that I 
have thought it necessary to read 
cantu, which Pierius found in several 
manuscripts, and seems to approve j 
only he is weighed down by the 
authority of Servius, who reads 
vento. But surely Servius was not 
infallible. 

The story of Ixion is, that he 
was condemned to a perpetual 
turning upon a wheel in hell, for 
attempting to violate the chastity 
of Juno. 

485. Jamque pedem referens, £Vc] 
The Poet proceeds to relate the 
return of Eurydice to light, the 
unhappy impatience of Orpheus to 
gaze at her, his lamentations for 



his second loss, and the miserable 
death of that great poet, which 
concludes the speech of Proteus. 

487. Namque hanc dederat Pro- 
serpina legem.2 The condition of 
not looking at his wife, till they 
were quite retired from the infernal 
dominions, is inferred, though not 
directly expressed by the Poet. Ovid 
has mentioned it more at large : 

Hanc simul et legem Rhodopeius accipit 

heros, 
Ne flectat retro sua lumina ; donee 

Avernas 
Exierit valles ; aut irrita dona futura. 
Given Orpheus with this law ; till thou 

the hound 
Of pale Avernus passe, if lack thou cast 
Thy careful eyes, thou loosest what thou 

hast. 

Sandys. 

488. Subita.] Pierius found subito 
in the Roman, and in some other 
manuscripts. 

489. Ignoscenda quidem. ] Ovid 
says Eurydice herself did not blame 
him, because his error proceeded 
from love of her : 

Jamque iteium moriens non est de con- 
juge quicquam 

Questa suo : quid enim sese quereretur 
amatam ? 

Nor did she, dying twice, her spouse re- 
prove : 

For wliat could she complain of but his 



love? 



Sandys. 



414 P. VIRGILII MARONIS 

Sce b heaS^tt^Sn Fcedera, terque fragor stagnis auditus Avernis. 

lake. Then she; Who is it, O tii • ... .... 

Orpheus, that has destroyed ilia, quis et me, mquit, miseram, et te perdidit 

miserable me, and thee also I * * * * 

What great madness was this? Omhpil ? 

Lo, again the cruel Fates call V T UCU » 

rn y SmLV^s^AnS Quis tantus furor? en iterum crudelia retro 495 

now adieu: I am carried away -,-, .. 

encompassed with thick dark- rata vocant, conditque natantia lumina somnus. 

ness, and stretching out my x 

being S loSger^yout/the Jamque vale : feror ingenti circumdata nocte, 
h a ii d s'ig a ht d a SfflreiSfway, nS Invalidasque tibi tendens, heu ! non tua, palmas. 

smoke mixing with the thin T .. . _. . , 

air: nor did she see him catch- UlXlt, et eX OCUllS SUDltO, CeU IUQ1US in aiiraS 

mg in vain at shadows, and 

S^no^t&S^ Commixtustenues,fiigitdiversa: neque ilium 
pL he oU S r^he h w?thSdhfg Prensantem nequicquam umbras, et multa vo- 

lake. What should he do? 

whither should he .betake ientem 501 

himself, having twice lost his 

Sdtfm^he 01 ^ 1 ^ Dicere praeterea, vidit: nee portitor Orci 
T£ h aTrwdy^It^shtvJr^g Amplius objectam passus transire paludem. 

in the Stygian boat. It is ,~ . , « - .. . r - 

said, that he lamented seven vJuicl laceret i quo se rapta bis conmge rerret r 

whole continued months un- x l *» o 

i! T £lS.UfiAT w&teTS Q uofletu Manes, qua numina voce moveret? 505 
Ilia quidem Stygia nabatjamfrigidacymba. 
Septem ilium totos perhibent ex ordine menses 
Rupe sub aeria deserti ad Strymonis undam 

493. Fragor .] Servius under- And again, 

stands fragor to mean an exultation Earth trembled ftom her entrails, as 

of the shades at the return of Eu- again 

rydice, and quotes a passage of In P an S s » and nature 8*™ a second 

Lucan in confirmation of his opi- Sky lfwW, and mutt'ring thunder, some 

mon : sa d drops 

Gaudent a luce relictam Wept at completing of the mortal sin 

Eurydicen, iterum sperantes Orphea Original. 

„.,»,- . . „ Stagnis auditus Avernis.] Pierius 

But I think fragor is not used for a found gt . &% auditus Avemi fa the 

sound of joy: at least I am sure RomaQ manuscript It is the same 

Virgil never uses it in that sense in one of Dr Mead . 8# In the other> 

but for some great crash, or hornd and in one of the Arunde ii a n copies 

noise. I take it in this place to it ig st ^ auditur Avern i i n the 

mean a dismal sound given by the M p aris edition of im> and in 

earth, or perhaps a clap of thunder, some otherg< it ig stagnis auditm A _ 

to signify the greatness of the mis- veml In the old Nurenbur g edi- 

fortune. Milton has a thought t i 0Q it \ 8 sta gnu auditur Avernis. 
like this, on our first parents tast- 504 Rapta bis con j uge j Pieriug 

ing the forbidden fruit : gays it ig bis rapfa con j uge> j n some 

Ejarth felt the wound, and nature from f t h e ancient manuscripts. 

o- i.. her *l eat , n u , c 508. Strymonis] Strvmon is a ri- 

Sjshing thro' all her works gave signs of . _ , y . J *f , , n 

w ° e ver of Macedon, on the borders ot 

That all was lost. Thrace. 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



415 



Flevisse, et gelidis haec evolvisse sub antris, 
Mulcentem tigres, et agentem carmine quer- 
cus. 510 

Qualis populea moerens Philomela sub umbra 



and that he sung his misfor- 
tunes under the cold caves, 
appeasing tygers, and leading 
oaks with nu song. So the 
mourning nightingale,under a 
poplar shade. 



509. Flevisse,] Pierius found 
jiesse sibi in the Roman manuscript. 

Antris.~\ Pierius says it is astris 
in the Roman and in some other 
manuscripts. 

511. Qualis populea, &c] This 
simile is no less justly than gene- 
rally admired, as one of the most 
beautiful that ever came from the 
mouth of a poet. None that ever 
attempted to translate it, seem to 
come up to the original. May's is 
not worth repeating. Dryden's is 
not contemptible : 

So close in poplar shades, her children 
gone, 

The mother nightingale laments alone : 

Whose nest some prying churl had found, 
and thence 

By stealth convey'd th' unfeather'd in- 
nocence. 

But she supplies the night with mourn- 
ful strains, 

And melancholy musick fills the plains. 

Dr. Trapp's translation is thus : 

As when, complaining in melodious 

groans, 
Sweet Philomel, beneath a poplar shade, 
Mourns her lost young, which some 

rough village hind 
Observing, from their nest, unfledg'd, 

has stole : 
She weeps all night : and perch'd upon a 

bough, 
With plaintive notes repeated fills the 

grove. 

Lee also has attempted it, in the 
last act of his tragedy of Theodo- 
sius : 

As in some poplar shade the nightingale 
With piercing moans does her lost young 

bewail, 
Which the rough hind, observing as they 

lay 



Warm in their downy nest, had stol'n 

away ; 
But she in mournful sounds does still 

complain, 
Sings all the night, tho' all her songs are 

vain, 
And still renews her miserable strain. 

To these 1 shall add another trans- 
lation, which was made by a lady, 
and has not yet I believe appeared 
in print: 

So Philomel, beneath a poplar shade, 
Laments her young by some rude hand 

betray'd. 
All night in mournful notes she seeks 

relief, 
And the wide woods re-echo to her grief. 

Populea.] The poplar is judici- 
ously chosen by the Poet, on this 
occasion, because the leaves of this 
tree trembling with the least breath 
of air, make a sort of melancholy 
rustling. 

Philomela.] Servius thinks the 
Poet puts the nightingale here for 
any bird : but surely what the Poet 
says here could not be applied to any 
other bird. 

We have already seen the story of 
Philomela and Procne, in the note 
on ver. 1 5. There is a different story 
of Philomela, which is related by 
Mr. Pope, in a note on the nine- 
teenth Odyssey, in the following 
manner : M Pandareus, son of Me- 
" rops,had three daughters, Merope, 
" Cleothera, andAedon: Pandareus 
" married his eldest daughter Aedon 
" to Zethus, brother of Amphion, 
'• mentioned in the eleventh Odys- 
" sey ; she had an only son named 
" Itylus ; and being envious at the 
" numerous family of her brother- 



416 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



laments her lost young, which 
some hard-hearted plough- 
man observing, has taken 
from their nest unfeathered ; 
but she wails all night, and 
sitting on a bough continues 
her melancholy song, and fills 
the places all around with her 
complaints. No love, no mar- 
riage rites could bend his 
mind. Alone he surveys the 
Hyperborean ice, and snowy 
Tanais, and the plains never 
free from Riphaean frosts; 
lamenting his ravished Eury- 
dice, and the fruitless gift of 
Pluto. The Ciconian dames 
enraged at his neglect of 
them, 



Amissos queritur foetus ; quos durus arator 
Observans, nido implumes detraxit : at ilia 
Flet noctem, ramoque sedens, miserabile carmen 
Integrat, et mcestis late loca questibus implet. 515 
Nulla Venus, non ulli animum flexere Hymenaei. 
Solus Hyperboreas glacies, Tanai'mque nivalem, 
Arvaque Riphseis nunquam viduata pruinis 
Lustrabat, raptam Eurydicen, atque irrita Ditis 
Dona querens : spretae Ciconum quo munere 



matres, 



520 



" in-law Amphion, she resolves to 
" murder Amaleus, the eldest of 
" her nephews ; her own son Itylus 
" was brought up with the children 
" of Amphion, and lay in the same 
" bed with this Amaleus. Aedon 
" directs her son Itylus to absent 
" himself one night from the bed, 
" but he forgets her orders j at the 
" time determined she conveys her- 
" self into the apartment, and raur- 
" ders her own son Itylus, by mis- 
c ' take, instead of her nephew Ama- 
" leus : upon this, almost in dis- 
" traction, she begs the gods to re- 
fi move her from the race of hu- 
tr man-kind; they grant her prayer, 
" and change her into a nightin- 
" gale." Aedon is the Greek name 
for a nightingale, and is therefore 
the same with Philomela. It is to 
this story that Homer alludes in 
the nineteenth Odyssey : 

'it; V on YluvSugiov xoigv\ %Xugws urduv 
Kukov aiftyaiv %a.oo$ vUv Wapkvoto, 
Atvhgiwv tv ■arerdkoio'i xtzfa^ofjuvn zruxivoTffiv, 
"H ts S-xpa r^wruffa %Ut z?o\u?i%icc Quint, 
Tlouo* oXotpugo/iivt] "iruXev tpikov, ov "stoti 

Krsm %i utp^Yia,;, xou^oi Z^hio avetx]os. 

As when the months are clad in flow'ry 

green, 
Sad Philomel, in bow'ry shades unseen, 
To vernal airs attunes her varied strains, 
And Itylus sounds warbling o'er the 

plains : 



Young Itylus, his parent's darling joy ! 

Whom chance misled the mother to de- 
stroy : 

Now doom'd a wakeful bird to wail the 
beauteous boy. 

Mr. PorE. 

Virgil seems also to allude to the 
same story in this place, the grief of 
the nightingale being for the loss 
of her young. According to the 
other fable, Philomela was not a 
mother. 

514, Sedens.~\ It is canens in one 
of Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 

516. Non ulli.'] The common 
reading is nullique ; but Heinsius 
and Masvicius read non ulli. Pie- 
rius found non ulli in the Roman, 
Medicean, and other ancient manu- 
scripts. 

517. Hyperboreas glacies.] See 
the note on book iii. ver. 196. 

Tanavn.] The Tanais or Don is 
a river of Muscovy, which empties 
itself into the lake Maeotis, and di- 
vides Europe from Asia. 

518. Riphceis.'] See the notes on 
book iii. ver. 196, 382. 

520. Spretce Ciconum quo munere 
matres.] In the Bodleian manu- 
script, and in many printed edi- 
tions, we read spreto, which Pierius 
also found in some ancient manu- 
scripts. But the King's, the Cam- 
bridge, both the Arundelian, and 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 

Inter sacra deum, nocturnique orgia Bacchi, 



417 



tore the young man in pieces, 
even at the sacred rites of the 
gods, and nocturnal orgies of 
Bacchus, 



both Dr. Mead's manuscripts have 
spretce, which is admitted also by 
most of the old editors, and by Paul 
Stephens, Heinsius, La Cerda, 
Schrevelius, and Masvicius. 

The Cicones were a people of 
Thrace, living near the mountain 
Ismarus, and the outlets of the river 
Hebrus. 

Some authors have related, that 
the Thracian women had a more 
just cause of resentment against 
Orpheus j his being guilty of an un- 
natural vice, and even of teaching 
it to the Thracians. With this he 
is charged by Ovid : 

Omnemque refugerat Orpheus 



Foemineam Venerem : seu quod male 

cesserat illi ; 
Sive fidem dederat. Multas tamen ardor 

habebat 
Jungere se vati : multae doluere repulsae. 
Tile etiam Thracum populis fuit auctor, 

amorem 
In teneros transferre mares : citraque 

juventam 
jEtatis breve ver, et primos carpere flores. 

But it is not probable, that this vice 
should have its rise in Thrace, as it 
is known to be the growth of warmer 
climates. Nor is such a guilt con- 
sistent with the extraordinary pas- 
sion of Orpheus for his Eurydice. 
Our Poet himself has been accused 
of the same unnatural inclinations, 
but, I think, without any good 
reason. The principal argument is 
taken from the second Eclogue, 
where the Poet describes the pas- 
sion of Corydon for Alexis. Here 
he is supposed to mean himself 
under the name of Corydon, which 
however cannot be proved. Nor is 
it at all to be wondered at, that he 
should describe his shepherds as 
subject to that vice, which is still 
too common in the country where 
he lived. A poet must represent 



mankind as they are, given up to 
various follies, vices, and passions. 
Therefore he makes the shepherds 
subject to such passions, as he else- 
where sufficiently shews that he 
does not approve. And at the close 
of that very Eclogue, Corydon be- 
gins to discover his folly, and re- 
pent of it : 

Ah Corydon, Corydon, quae te dementia 
cepit ! 

Dryden endeavours to vindicate his 
author from this censure, but at the 
same time takes pains to shew that 
he was averse from the fair sex, 
which, if true, would strengthen 
the accusation . He adds, that there 
is hardly the character of one good 
woman in all his poems. But not- 
withstanding these concessions of 
his celebrated translator, 1 shall 
venture to affirm, that Virgil had 
other thoughts of women. He has 
indeed represented Dido under no 
very advantageous character. But 
this was not with any design of 
casting a slur upon the sex, but on 
the Carthaginians, the most invete- 
rate Cnemies of the Roman people. 
And, on the other side, Virgil never 
fails of setting conjugal love in a 
beautiful light. In the passage be- 
fore us, we have a husband ven- 
turing even to the infernal regions, 
to fetch back his wife, totally in- 
consolable for the loss of her, and 
invoking her with his dying lips. 
His hero, the great iEneas, leaves 
his father and son, and rushes 
through the flames of Troy, and the 
victorious enemies, to seek his lost 
Creusa, and continues his pursuit of 
her, till her ghost appears, and ex- 
horts him to desist. Thus, though 
our Poet condemns impure and idle 
passions, yet he applauds the love 
of women, when it does not deviate 
3 H 



418 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



#3£&ri$i3ml Discerptum latos juvenem sparsere per agros. 

whilst (Eagrian Hebrus bore np . , 

his head, and roiled it down 1 urn quoque marmorea caput a cervice revulsum 

the middle of the tide, his . ^^ 

vo^ande^n his cold tongue Gurgite cum medio portans CEagrius Hebrus 



Volveret, Eurydicen vox, ipsa et frigida lingua, 



from virtue : and this, I hope, will 
not be imputed to him as a crime. 
The virgin Camilla is far from a 
bad character ; and the description 
of Lavinia shews, that the Poet was 
by no means insensible of the 
charms of beauty, when supported 
by modesty. To conclude this di- 
gression, I shall beg leave to ob- 
serve, that had our Poet been 
thought fond of the vice of which 
he is accused by the defaming pens., 
of some later writers ; those of his 
own and the next succeeding ages, 
would never have celebrated him as 
a pattern of modesty and virtue. 
Ovid indeed, who was under the 
displeasure of Augustus Caesar, on 
account of the obscenity of his 
verses, excuses himself by the ex- 
ample of Virgil, who described the 
flames of Amaryllis and Phillis, and 
the unlawful commerce of iEneas 
and Dido : 

Et tamen ille tuae felix JSneidos author 
Contulit in Tyrios arma virumque toros. 

Nee legitur pars ulla magis de corpore 

toto, 
Quara non legitime- foederejunctusamor, 

Phyllidis hie idem, tenereeque Amaryl- 
lidis ignes 
Bucolicis juvenis luserat ante modis. 

Had this contemporary poet known, 
and he could not but have known it 
if it had been true, that Virgil de- 
scribed his own impure thoughts 
under the fictitious name of a shep- 
herd, he would not have failed to 
mention it on this occasion. But 
we find that Ovid had not the least 
suspicion of any such thing, and 
therefore charged him only with the 
mention of such passions as are ac- 
cording to nature, however criminal 
they are in other respects. 



521. Nocturnique orgia Bacchi."] 
Some read nocturnaque, which seems 
to be approved by Pierius. But he 
found nocturnique in the Medicean 
and other ancient manuscripts, 
which last reading is generally re- 
ceived . 

The Orgies were a mad solem- 
nity sacred to Bacchus, which was 
celebrated with a kind of drunken 
fury. The word is derived from 
*e,y*>fury. It was in one of these 
drunken fits, it seems, that Orpheus 
was torn in pieces. 

524. CEagrius Hebrus.'] The He- 
brus is called GEagrian, from CEa- 
grus the Thracian king or river 
mentioned before to be the father 
of Orpheus. 

525. Eurydicen.~\ The repetition 
of the name of Eurydice, in this and 
the following verses, is exceedingly 
beautiful. 

The reader will not be displeased 
perhaps, if I give him the satisfac- 
tion of knowing, that Orpheus soon 
after found his Eurydice in the 
happy mansions of the other world, 
where he could gaze on her inces- 
santly, without any fear of losing 
her, as it is beautifully described by 
Ovid: 

Umbra subit terras : et quae loca viderit 

ante, 
Cuncta recognoscit. Quaerensque per 

arva pic-rum 
Invenit Eurydicen, cupidisque amplecti- 

tur ulnis. 
Hie modo conjunctis spatiantur passibus 

ambo: 
Nunc praecedentem sequitur, nunc prae- 

vius anteit : 
Eurydicenque suam jam tuto respicit Or- 
pheus. 
His ghost retires to under shades : once 

more 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



419 



Ah miseram Eurydicen anima fugiente vocabat: 
Eurydicen toto referebant flumine ripae. 
Haec Proteus, et se jactu dedit aequor in altum : 
Quaque dedit, spumantem undam sub vertice 

torsit. 
At non Cyrene : namque ultro affata timentem : 
Nate, licet tristes animo depellere curas. 531 
Haec omnismorbi causa : hinc miserable Nymphae 
Cum quibus ilia choros lucis agitabat in altis, 
Exitium misere apibus. Tu munera supplex 
Tende petens pacem, et faciles venerare Napaeas. 
Namque dabunt veniam votis, irasque remittent. 
Sed, modus orandi qui sit, prius ordine dicam. 
Quatuor eximios praestanti corpore tauros, 
Qui tibi nunc viridis depascunt summa Lycaei, 
Delige, et intacta totidem cervice juvencas. 540 
Quatuor his aras alta ad delubra dearum 
Constitue, et sacrum jugulis demitte cruorem : 
Corporaque ipsa bourn frondoso desere luco. 
Post, ubi nona suos Aurora ostenderit ortus ; 



ah ! poor Eurydice, as his life 
departed, and all the rocks re- 
peated Eurydice through the 
whole river. Thus spake 
Proteus; and threw himself 
into the deep sea, and as he 
went, the water foamed about 
his head. But Cyrene did not 
plunge into the sea : for she 
came and spoke to her trem- 
bling son, and bid him lay 
aside his vexatious cares. 
Hence, says she, is all the 
cause of your disaster : hence 
the Nymphs, with whom she 
was dancing in the thick 

f roves, have sent a miserable 
estruction on your bees. But 
do you in a suppliant manner 
offer gifts, and ask peace, and 
worship the favourable wood 
Nymphs. For prayers will 
move them to pardon, and 
they will remit their anger. 
But first I will tell y ouin order, 
in what manner they must 
be entreated. Pick out four 
chosen bulls of the largest 
size, that now graze on the 
summit of green Lycaeus, 
and as many heifers un- 
touched by the yoke. Raise 
four altars for them at the 
high temples of the goddesses, 
and let out the sacred blood 
from their throats, and leave 
the bodies of the cattle in the 
shady grove. Afterwards 
when the ninth morning has 
appeared rising, 



He sees and knows what he had seen before. 
Then through the Elysian fields among the 

blest 
Seekes his Eurydice. Now repossest 
With strict imbraces, guided by one minde, 
They walke together : oft he comes hehinde, 
Oft goes before : now Orpheus safely may 
His following Eurydice survay. 

Sandys. 

529- Vertice.] Some read vor~ 
tice. 

530. At non Cyrene.] Proteus 
having delivered his oracular an- 
swer, Cyrene advises her son to 
offer sacrifices to the offended 
Nymphs, and to appease the manes 
of Orpheus and Eurydice. Aristaeus 
follows the instructions of his 
mother, and is surprised to see a 
swarm of bees come out of the 
carcases of the sacrificed oxen. 



531. Deponere.] In one of Dr. 
Mead's manuscripts it is depellere. 

535. Napceas.] The Napcece have 
their name from van-v a grove ; they 
are the same with the Dryades. 

537. Qui.2 It is quis in one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts, and in 
most of the old editions. 

538. Eximios praestanti corpore.~] 
Pierius found eximio prcestantes cor- 
pore in the Roman manuscript. 

La Cerda observes that eximios 
is no superfluous epithet, being a 
sacerdotal word, and derived from 
eximere, to pick or choose. 

540. Intacta.] Pierius found in- 
tactas in the Roman manuscript. 

543. Corporaque.] In the King's 
manuscript it is corpora quceque. 

544. Ostenderit.] In one of the 
3 H 2 



420 



P. VIRGILII MARONIS 



you shall offer Lethaean pop- 
pies to the manes of Orpheus, 
and worship appeased Eury- 
dice with a slain calf, and sa- 
crifice a black sheep, and re- 
visit the grove. Without 
delay, he immediately obeys 
his mother's commands: he 
comes to the ' temple, and 
raises the altars as directed, 
he leads four chosen bulls of 
the largest -ize, and as many 
heifers untouched by the 
yoke. Afterwards as soon 
as the ninth morningappeared 
rising ; he offers to the manes 
of Orpheus, and revisits the 
grove. And now they behold 
a sudden sight, and wonder- 
ful to relate, bees humming 
in the putrid bowels of the 
victims through all their bel- 
lies, and bursting out of their 
sides; then forming thick 
clouds ; and settling on the 
top of a tree, and hanging like 
a cluster of grapes from the 
bending boughs. Thus did I 
sing of the management of 
fieids, of cattle, and of trees : 
whilst great Caesar thunders 
in war at deep 



Inferias Orphei lethsea papavera mittes, 54?5 
Placatam Eurydicen vitula venerabere caesa, 
Et nigram mactabis ovem, lucumque revises. 
Haud mora ; continuo matris prsecepta facessit : 
Ad delubra venit ; monstratas excitat aras ; 
Quatuor eximios praestanti corpore tauros 550 
Ducit, et intacta totidem cervice juvencas. 
Post ubi nona suos Aurora induxerat ortus, 
Inferias Orphei mittit, lucumque revisit. 
Hie vero subitum ac dictu mirabile monstrum 
Aspiciunt, liquefacta bourn per viscera toto 555 
Stridere apes utero, et ruptis effervere costis ; 
Immensasque trahi nubes: jamquearbore summa 
Confluere, et lentis uvam demittere ramis. 
Haec super arvorum cultu pecor unique cane- 
bam, 
Et super arboribus : Caesar dum magnus ad 
altum 560 



Arundelian manuscripts it is indux- 
erit. 

54<5. Inferias'] The infer ice were 
sacrifices offered to the Manes. 

Lethcea papavera.] See the note 
on book i. ver. 78. 

546 and 547.] These two lines 
are transposed in both the Arunde- 
lian, both Dr. Mead's manuscripts, 
in the old Nurenberg edition, those 
of Paul Stephens, Schrevelius, and 
others, 

550. Ad delubra venit] In one 
of the Arundelian manuscripts it 
is at delubra petit. 

552. Intacta.] It is intactas in 
the old Venice edition of 1482. 

Induxerat.'] It is induxerit in one 
of the Arundelian, and in one of 
Dr. Mead's manuscripts. 

556. Et ruptis.] It is eruptis in 
the King's, and in the Cambridge 
manuscripts. 



558. Uvam.] See the note on 
book ii. ver. 60. 

559. Hcec svper, &c] Virgil 
having now finished this noble 
Poem, takes care to inform the 
reader of the time when it was 
written, and of the name of the 
author, asserting it to himself, that 
no future plagiary might pretend 
to so great an honour. 

560. Caesar dum magnis, &c] 
These lines are a fresh argument, 
that Virgil continued the care of 
his Georgicks, as long as he lived, 
for the time here mentioned is the 
year before his death. It was then 
that Augustus Caesar was at the 
head of the Roman legions in 
person, on the banks of the Eu- 
phrates, and compelled Phraates to 
restore the Eagles, which the Par- 
thians had taken from Crassus, and 
drew the neighbouring nations, and 



GEORG. LIB. IV. 



421 



Fulminat Euphraten bello, victorque volentes 
Per populos dat jura, viamque affectat Olympo. 
Illo Virgilium me tempore dulcis alebat 
Parthenope, studiis florentem ignobilis oti : 
Carminaqui lusipastorum, audaxquejuventa565 
Tityre, te patulae cecini sub tegmine fagi. 



Euphrates, and being con- 
queror gives laws through 
the willing people, and affects 
the way to heaven. At that 
time did sweet Parthenope 
nourish me Virgil, nourishing 
in the studies of ignoble ease : 
who recited the verses of 
shepherds, and, being bold in 
youth, sung thee ? Tityrua, 
under the covering of a 
spreading beech. 



even the Indians, to make a volun- 
tary submission to him. See the 
notes on ver. 27, 30. book iii. 

563. Alebat.] In the King's ma- 
nuscript it is habebat. 

564. Parthenope.'] This was the 



name of an ancient city, which when 
rebuilt was called Naples. 

565. Audaxque juventa.] Accord- 
ing to Servius, Virgil was twenty- 
eight years old when he wrote his 
Eclogues. 



- 



ADDENDA. 



ADDENDA, 



The following Remarks were sent me, after the publication of the 
Georgicks, by the learned Edward King, Esq. in two Letters dated 
from Bromley in Kent, Nov. 20, 1740, and May 11, 1743. 



GEORGICK i. 38. It is the 
cheapest and best way of improving 
land in the old husbandry; but 
it must be ploughed more than 
four times. 

97- Mr. B — 's remark is wrong 
in another particular; for when 
these chinks are thus filled up, and 
then corn sowed, there will not be 
fine mould enough to cover the 
seed. Virgil does not speak of sow- 
ing in this place. 

208. When Libra has made the 
day and hours of sleep equal. 

247. 

Illic, ut perbibent, aut intempesta silet 

nox 
Semper, et obtenta densentur nocte te- 

nebrae. 

Mr. B not content with having 

observed, and kept to the beauty of 
the first line in his translation, in- 
judiciouslyobserves a palpable dark- 
ness in the second ; thus it is, says 
he, wove closer with thickening let- 
ters than any other line in the Latin 
language that I can recollect. I sup- 
pose he means chiefly the letter e, 
(or his observation is nothing ;) and 
he has used one too many mdensen- 
tur. But to my ear the night would 
be full as dark, and more still, if 
four of the e's were not in the verse : 
thus 

Et circumfusa densantur nocte tene- 
brae. 

357. The limbs of the trees being 



dry increases the friction and noise, 
when they rub against each other, 
and makes this aridus fragor. There 
would be no fragor if the trees 
were wet ; for that would take off 
the friction. 

388. I prefer rauca voce, which 
is the opposite to liquidas voces, ver. 
410. Angelus Politianus, in his to- 
kens of wet weather, has latrant 
corvi, which I have often heard. 

403. Virgil here speaks of the 
signs of fair weather. Nequicquam 
translated in vain, and applied to 
the owl's singing, suits but ill with 
Virgil's exactness; for that would 
be making him say, that the owl's 
singing, which is a sign of foul 
weather, is a vain omen, because it 
will be fair : it is saying that one 
sign of foul weather, is not a sign of 
foul weather. But Virgil has not 
been guilty of any thing like this in 
his tokens of foul or fair weather.* 
He says before Nee fratris radiis ob- 
noxialuna: which in the familiar 
English expression is, The moon 
rises as bright as day. It seems to 
me therefore, that there should be a 
stop at nequicquam, and then the 
sense will run thus -, The owl from 
the top of the roof observes (or waits) 
the setting of the sun in vain, because 
the night will be poetically as bright 
as day. Seros cantus is peculiar to 
the owl; I know no bird besides, 
that sings only in the night. The 
nightingales with us sing in the day- 



ADDENDA. 



time from about the middle of May, 
to the time they leave us. This 
perhaps has not been attended to, 
because her voice in the day-time is 
drowned in the neighbouring cho- 
rus. Thus most will readily say 
that blossoms are antecedent to 
leaves, but upon examination will 
find, that leaves are equally forward 
(at the same time) in proportion to 
their full growth, with blossoms in 
respect to the fruit that follows them, 
as in the peach, nectarine, almond, 
&c. The glaring appearance of the 
bloom takes up all the common at- 
tention j as the chirping, whistling, 
discord notes of various other birds 
divert the undistinguishing ear from 
attending to the single part of the 
musical nightingale. We are only 
apt to consider her solo part per 
arnica silentia Luna, and with the 
best poets listen to her chiefly, when 
she does fiere noctem,\ J irg. sing dark- 
tins, Milt. 

416. By the fate of things a greater 
prudence; and this carries on the 
Epicurean principle. 

419. Aut qua densa relaxat ; 
for it is impossible that both should 
happen in the same instant. 

462. I never could be reconciled 
to quid cogitet humidus Auster. I 
hnd rather read cogat et or concitet 
(contra omnes codices) than cogitet. 

48-0. Mcestum illacrymat ebur. O- 
vid's mille modis Jacrymavit ebur, and 
Tibullus's lacrymas fudisse tepentes, 
are nothing more than what is 
common in moist weather : but 
Virgil expressly refers the weeping 
into a prodigy by mcestum. 

Georg. ii. 10. Those that rise 
from suckers, or from scattered 
seeds. There is no occasion, I think, 
to resort to the old opinion of spon- 
taneous generation. 

20. Hos natura modus primum de- 
dit, are. those which rise sponte sua. 

22. I cannot construe this line 



without reading Sunt alii queis ipse 
viam sibi repperit usus. The alii 
(viz. modi) queris, &c. answers what 
went before, His genus omne. 

59. This relates to the seminibus 
jactis. The apples produced from 
kernels do not taste like the apples 
that produced the kernels. 

60. So the kernels of a bunch of 
grapes produce turpes racemos. I 
never saw a vine raised from a ker- 
nel ; but a curious friend of mine 
informed me he had seen in Barba- 
does vines raised from the kernel 
of raisins. 

78. Aut rursum. Perhaps this 
means, that the same stocks, which 
were inoculated, upon the buds 
failing, are again cut for ingraft- 
ing. 

97. These mountains rise, or 
grow still higher, with vineyards 
of these grapes upon them. 

149. It would somewhat abate 
Virgil's compliment to his own 
country, if, with Mr. B — we were 
to attribute the Ver assiduum only to 
foreign grasses. 

153. 

Nee rapit immensos orbes per hum urn 

neque tanto 
Squameus in gyrum tractu se colligit 

anguis. 

Here Mr. B says the beginning 

and ending of the first line are 
snatched up like the motion of that 
frightful creature ; and the immen- 
sos orbes betwixt makes the dreadful 
circle. No doubt of it, Virgil de- 
signed it should : but leaves this to 
the sound, and immensos orbes are 
full as like a square as a circle. 

251, 252, 253. This wish is, that 
in moist soils the rank grass should 
not be too prevalent, Ne sit ilia 
terra, qua major es herbas alit, nimium 
fertilis, viz. majoribus herbis, with 
the inexpugnabile gramen, as Ovid 
calls it. He would not wish his 
crop should not be pravalida, for it 



ADDENDA. 



was like to be too rank, there is a 
remedy prescribed, Georg. 1. 112. 
Luxuriem segetum tenera depascit in 
herba. 

279- I am well satisfied this does 
not mean two armies, dubius mediis 
Mars errat in armis; 1 think it sig- 
nifies, that the ranks were so very 
regular, that Mars mistook' the 
middle ranks one for another. Me- 
diis armis is as medias acies. 

Ipsi per medias acies insignibus alis. 

357. Pressovomere signifies deep 
ploughing. Mr. Dryden translates 
it loosens it (the earth) above; but 
that would be by pressing the han- 
dles, not by pressing the share. 

408. Contains a double precept: 
1. That you should be early in 
cutting off the shoots. 2. That they 
should not be burnt in the vineyard. 
If they were burnt there, they would 
scorch the vines, or perhaps totally 
consume them. The burning small- 
coal in our woods greatly damages 
the trees that are to be left. 

441. Mr. B- — — says the storm 
roars through the line. To me it 
sounds whistling. Quas animos Eur 
assidue is strong sibilation. 

I believe Virgil in some instances 
designed the sound should answer 
the sense j but not in near so many 

as Mr. B imagined he did. I 

shall mention no more, as I find you 
have avoided following him where 
he is wrong. 

455. Mr. B — s remark amounts 
to nothing; for his reasoning re- 
turns to what he objected against. 
Though Rhoetus and Pholus were 
not slain, yet in general may be 
said hostes domare letho, though all 
are not killed. 

458. fortunatos nimium ! Nimium 
is greatly. It has in this place the 
sense of plurimum or maxime;, as in 
Claudian, nimium dilecte Deo ! 

508. Hie stupet attonitus rostris. 
I believe he means those who set 
up for politicians, who received the 



news of the Senate from the rostra. 
See Middleton's Life of Cicero. It 
does not relate to those who studied 
the law, or were concerned in law- 
suits j for that was mentioned be- 
fore, ver. 501. 

519. I am of Mr. B— 's mind, 
that hyems does not signify winter. 
If winter was the middle time of 
gathering, there certainly was a 
previous one. The subsequent lines 
put this out of doubt, Varios pon'U 
foetus Autumnus. 

Georg. iii. 52. I think none of 
the quotations expound turpe caput. 
But if it is like the bull's, which 
Virgil recommends, ver. 58. it will 
be turpe. The curling of the hair 
upon the head will retain more dust 
and chaff than is lodged upon a 
smooth headed cow; so that the 
meaning is rather rough or shock- 
headed than large. A cow with a 
large long neck and a great head 
would be a monstrous unproportion- 
al e figure. 

I take plurima cervix to be thick 
necked. Virgil says omnia magna ; 
that is, proportionally so. 

85. But what ignis is this } It is 
either the smoke of his nostrils, or 
the remarkable flame colour of the 
fine membrane within them. The 
action of neighing throws the blood 
over the membrane, and makes the 
flame colour appear more red and 
lively; and this answers every pare 
of the verse, viz. premens collectum 
ignem volvit sub naribus. This I 
take to be the glory of his nostrils. 

87. Duplex spina } a kind of fur- 
row thrown up on each side of the 
spine, by which the spine itself 
would not be seen, but each furrow 
would look like a spine, 

100, 101. I take this to mean his 
own qualifications, and those of his 
brothers and sisters, et quis cuique 
dolor victo, quaz gloria palmce, or it 
may be the offspring of his father 
*a2 



ADDENDA. 



or grandfather, in wnich sense the 
civilians are used to consider pa- 
rentes. Our countrymen value stal- 
lions at this rate. It may be too 
late to choose a horse for a stallion, 
by observing the excellencies of his 
colt : it may be better abdere domo ; 
as ver. 95. 

106. Verbere tor to rather describes 
the manner of lashing, than the 
whip or lash. 

118. JEque juvenemque magistri 
exquirvnt. Juvenem rather signifies 
a young man, than a young horse : 
cequus uterque labor and <zque juve- 
nem exquirunt relate to what went 
immediately before, which is break- 
ing horses for the chariot or riding. 

ISO. Dryden and B have ma- 
nifestly mistaken this. I shall only 
add to your just observation upon 
this line, a representation of this 
desire in Proserpina, Claud, de Rapt. 
Proserp. 

Jam vicina toro plenis adoleverat annis 
Virginitas: tenerum jam pronuba flam- 
ma pudorem 
Sollicitat; mistaque tremit formidine 
votum. 

134. The surgens zephyrus, I be- 
lieve, means the spring, as in G. 
ii. 330. 

■ Zephyrique tepentibus auris 

Laxant arva sinus. 

147. I should be glad to read 

■ Ilicibusque virentem 
Pluribus. 

It seems forced to make volitans a 
substantive. 

162. Ccetera pascuntur virides ar- 
menta per herbas. He may properly 
mean cows kept for the pail, which 
require a different management 
from the rest. 

219. This line is much below 
Virgil, is a very bad one, and breaks 
the context to no purpose. 

391. I must beg leave to differ 
from your opinion on this line - } for 
though the aries was candidus ipse, 



yet the blackness of his tongue, 
which the Moon did not examine, 
was a reason against choosing him. 
Candidus ipse is the principal parts 
of him, as aureus ipse, G. iv. 274. 

409- Timidos agitabis onagros: 
Tumidos is a good reading, accord- 
ing to the accounts we have of the 
wild ass's being more than a match 
for the tyger in fighting. 

471. He seems to mean, that the 
plagues of different cattle were more 
numerous than the storms before 
winter 3 as ver. 480. 

Et genus omne ncci pecudum dedit, 
omne ferarum. 

482. Nee via mortis erat simplex : 
I take this to mean that the manner 
of their death was various ; ver. 496. 

— — Canibus blandis rabies venit, et 
quatit aegros 

Tussis anhela sues. 

Speaking of the horse, ver. 501. 

Aret 

Pellis, et ad tactum tractanti dura re- 
sistit. 

According to your note on this verse, 
horses were differently affected. 

513. I cannot help thinking er- 
rorem ilium signifies some mistake 
in the practice or application, and do 
somewhat incline to Dryden's inter- 
pretation ; for if the giving wine 
was always bad in its consequence, 
he would hardly have said profuit. 
But there may be another interpre- 
tation, which will favour my opinion, 
viz. that wine, which was of ser- 
vice to some of them, (or which 
was sometimes of service,) increased 
the distemper of others to madness, 
(or at other times increased the dis- 
temper to madness.) And this 
comes to what Lucretius says in his 
sixth book, and is in your note upon 
ver. 549. And the critics agree, 
that Virgil had Lucretius in his 
eye, when he wrote this account of 
the murrain. The difficulty was 
to know when to apply this me- 
dicine, and the misapplication of it 



ADDENDA. 



is what Virgil deprecates : Errorem* 
que hostibus ilium. Either of these 
interpretations naturally introduces 
the exclamation of this line : Let 
the gods deal better with good men, 
and let their enemies only suffer by 
such a mistake. 

536. I fancy contenta signifies 
yoked, which is a natural significa- 
tion of the word, from the manner 
of using oxen in a team, at the time 
when Virgil wrote. And it conveys 
a melancholy idea, when we consi- 
der men drawing the waggon, in 
the place of oxen. Stridentia plau- 
stra I would translate creaking wag- 
gons ; the stridor I imagine to pro- 
ceed from the inequality of the mo- 
tion, and the inequality of the mo- 
tion from the weakness of those who 
drew them, in proportion to the 
weight they drew. 

I had marked several lines that 

Mr. B had taken notice were an 

echo to the sense. He seemed to 



me too fond of attributing to the 
sound, Virgil's great care of convey- 
ing the idea of the thing spoken of, 
by strength of expression . Much of 
this depends upon fancy 3 but I will 
mention an instance or two, in which 

I think Mr. B carries this much 

too far. 

Georg. iv. 82. Directs acies is 
just the reverse of turbatce acies ; 

Extemplo turbatce acies versique Latini 
Rejiciunt parmas. 

^Sn. xi. 618. 

85. In the common translations, 
it is left uncertain, which side the 
conqueror will oblige to yield. But 
surely he would hardly endeavour 
to demolish his own party. There- 
fore it comes to this sense, dum txut 
has aut hos, that is of the other 
party, victor subegit dare terga, ob- 
nixi4amen sunt non cedere. 

203. Sir Daniel Molyneux's ob- 
servation I think is quite right. 



ADDENDA. 



Thefolbwing Remarks were sent me by the Reverend and learned 
Dr. William Greenwood, dated from Warwick, May 14, 1748. 



GEORGICK i. 32. Anne novum— 
This passage receives great light 
and beauty from the Farnese grove, 
and some gems, &c. representing 
the Zodiac. The ancients were at 
a loss how to have the balance sup- 
ported, and therefore it was origi- 
nally held up by Scorpius; who 
extended his claws for that purpose 
out of his own proper dominions, 
and thus took up the space of two 
signs in the Zodiac. But under 
Augustus, or a little after his death, 
they made Scorpius contract his 
claws, and introduced a new per- 
sonage to hold the balance. On 
the Farnese globe it is supported 
by Scorpius ; and in several gems 
and medals of later date, it is held 
by a man : probably intended for 
Augustus himself. Vide Spence's 
Polymetis, p. 170. pi. 24. and pi. 25. 
fig. 3. 

How does your remark in the 
notes, that Augustus was born un- 
der Libra, agree with Suetonius, 
who says he was born under Capri- 
corn ? In Aug. §. 94. 

Suetonius, in the section referred 
to, does indeed speak of the birth of 
Augustus being in December ; Au- 
gustum natum mense decimo, et 
ob hoc Apollinis filium existima- 
tum ; and at the latter end that he 
was born under Capricorn; Num- 
mumque argenteum nota sideris 
Capricorni, quo natus est, percus- 
serit. In that section Suetonius seems 
to relate what various authors had re- 
ported: but in §, 5. where he plainly 



speaks in his own person, he expressly 
declares, that Augustus was born on 
the ninth of the calends of October, 
which is certainly under Libra; Na- 
tus est Augustus, M. Tullio Cice- 
rone, et Antonio Coss. ix. Cal. Oc- 
tobr. paullo ante solis exortum. 
This is confirmed by §. 100. where we 
are told that Augustus died on the 
fourteenth of the Calends of Septem- 
ber, in the seventy-sixth year of his 
age, wanting five and thirty days; 
Obiit in cubiculo eodem quo pater 
Octavius : duobus Sextis, Pompeio 
et Appuleio Coss. xiv. Cal. Septem- 
bris, hora diei nona, septuagesimo 
et sexto aetatis anno, diebus quin- 
que et triginta minus. 

42. Ingredere — I should rather 
think with Catrou, that Virgil in- 
serted this passage, when he revised 
his Georgicks : and not when he 
first composed or published them. 

152. Aspera sylva — In your trans- 
lation you say, A prickly wood of 
burrs and caltrops : whereas I take 
them all to be of the nominative 
case, as they certainly are in Georg. 
iii. 384. where the very same words 
are used : and therefore they should 
likewise be construed thus, prickly 
brambles, and burrs, and caltrops. 

I did not take lappaeque tribulique 
to be the genitive case, as appears, I 
think, by the comma after sylva. It 
might indeed have been translated 
more literally thus ; A prickly wood 
arises, both burrs and Caltrops. 

195. Grandior — Catrou places the 
full stop at the end of the next 



ADDENDA. 



verse, and makes the sense run 

thus; that the legumes may be larger, 
and boil better with a very little fire. 

211. Sub extremum — Virgil can- 
not possibly mean the last by ex~ 
tremum, because it would contradict 
his epithet, intractabilis ; which im- 
plies that this season is unfit for bu- 
siness. But as there are two ex- 
tremes, and extremus is sometimes 
used to signify the first, as well as 
the last; if it can be allowed to 
have that construction in this place, 
the sense will be very clear and 
consistent : that the time of sowing 
barley is from the autumnal Equinox 
to the first heavy rains of the winter 
Solstice, when the inclemency of the 
weather will put a stop to all works 
of this kind. 

227. Faselum — I will not pretend 
to say what the Faselus was : but 
by these directions I think it can- 
not be the very same as our kidney- 
bean. For this is one of the ten- 
derest plants we have in the natu- 
ral ground ; and the least able to 
bear the severe cold, either when 
it is young or old. It is therefore 
sown the latest in the spring of all 
legumes : and as the seed will be 
melted in the ground, if much rain 
falls before it is come up ; so the 
plant itself will be cut off by the 
first sharp frost in April or May, 
though it is ever so nourishing, or 
in October, when it is at its full 
growth. 

255. Deducere classes — I think we 
should understand deducere classes, 
to bring back the fleets ; and thus 
the same opposition will be con- 
tinued that was in a preceding 
verse. Hence we learn when to sow, 
and when to reap; when to venture 
out to sea, and when to retire into 
port again. 

268. Quippe etiam — 1 observe the 
commentators give reasons why 
some of these works may be done 
upon a holiday; but do not take 



any manner of notice of the rest. 
Now since they are only to be jus- 
tified by charity or necessity, all 
the following passages must be 
considered in that light. So that 
husbandmen are allowed, rivos de- 
ducere, to let out the flashes of wa- 
ter which are brought upon the 
fields by sudden showers and land 
floods : they may, segeti prcetendere 
sepem, secure the fences of their 
corn, when by the omission it would 
be exposed to immediate damage 
from trespassing cattle : they may, 
insidias avibus moliri, guard against 
the feathered robbers, who make 
no distinction of days, but are al- 
ways pilfering the seeds whenever 
they can come at them ; and they 
may, gregem fluvio mersare salubri, 
bathe the flock in the river, if it 
is required for the health of the 
sheep. But why they should then 
burn the thorns, which may be 
conveniently done at any time; or 
carry oil and fruits to town, for 
which there were probably other 
market days ; though so correct a 
writer as Virgil had undoubtedly 
his reasons for it, yet I must own 
myself at a loss to discover. Un- 
less for the latter there might be 
the same necessity, as there is to 
cry milk and mackerel in London 
upon a Sunday : and if this could 
be proved, we may easily suppose 
they might be permitted to return 
with some other loading for back- 
carriage. And if the former ap- 
peared to be any thing like our 
burning of charcoal, this would be 
a work that might be continued, 
though not begun, upon a day that 
was esteemed sacred. 

Georg. ii. 97. Amminea was near 
to Falernus, and Pliny says, Prin- 
cipalis datur Ammineis propter firmi- 
tatem, 1. xiv. 2. Expressions very 
like these of Virgil. So that these 
thre« lines may be thus rendered ; 



ADDENDA. 



There are also Amminean vines, which 
yield the best bodied wines: to which 
the Tmolian, and Phanaan, and 
smaller Argitis must give the prefer- 
ence ; though the two first are reck- 
oned prime wines, and the last none 
can rival, &c. Or suppose the 98th 
verse to be in a parenthesis, which 
would be more poetical, and then 
the construction will run thus; 
There are also Amminean vines, which 
yield the best bodied wines, (to which 
the Tmolian and Phancean, though 
reckoned prime wines, must give the 
preference,) and there is the smaller 
Argitis, which none, &c. 

206. Tardis— I think the epithet 
tardis alludes to the largeness of 
the loads, which occasioned the 
bullocks to move more slowly. So 
that the whole verse gives one a 
strong idea of the quantity of corn 
both in number and weight of 
loads, that is produced upon such 
land. 

321. Prima — I do not know any 
passage more crowded with fine 
expression, than these two lines. 
But in my opinion the beauty of it 
is greatly tarnished by supposing 
that cestas means nothing more than 
heat. The ancient and natural di- 
vision of the year was into summer 
and winter : and to which many 
authors allude both in prose and 
verse. But since between the ex- 
tremities of heat and cold in these 
seasons, there were intermediate 
spaces of moderate weather, the 
two others of spring and autumn 
were added; which at their begin- 
ning and end generally partake of 
the qualities of the preceding and 
following season. So that Virgil 
points out in the most poetical 
manner the very particular time in 
autumn that is most proper for this 
work. For, says he, one of the best 
times for planting vineyards is, 
upon the coming in of the first cool 
weather in autumn, before you 



touch upon winter, and when the 
summer is quite gone. 

389, 392. Oscilla — caput — Mr. 
Spence in his Polymetis, p. 129. 
hath cleared up these passages by 
a gem in the great Duke's collec- 
tion at Florence, pi. 20. fig. 2. 
which represents a tree with seve- 
ral little heads of Bacchus hanging 
upon it, that turn every way. 

Georg. iii. 10. Before I had read 
Catrou I was of opinion, and am 
very glad to be supported by him 
in it, that all this following passage 
to the 40th verse is a most masterly 
allegory, whereby the Poet pro- 
mises to perform and publish the 
^neid after his return from Greece. 
And if we take it in this light, it 
will greatly heighten the many beau- 
ties that are to be found in these 
lines. The Eneide was the temple : 
Augustus was the divinity, for 
whom it was formed, and to whom 
it was dedicated : his ancestors, as 
they are the principal actors in the 
one, so are they represented as the 
capital statues to adorn the other : 
and his victories, like basso re- 
lievos, were to embellish the work. 

37. Invidia — I cannot forbear ob- 
serving Virgil's genteel manner of 
reflecting upon the factious and dis- 
contented, that were enemies of 
Augustus ; ' by representing them 
under the figure of envy, trembling 
for fear of the severest tortures, 
that the poets have allotted to the 
most enormous offenders. 

81. — honesti. I think honesti re- 
lates only to the outward appear- 
ance, and that those colours are 
most graceful and pleasing to the 
eye : for otherwise it is true as the 
English proverb says, A good horse 
is never of a bad colour. 

81, 86. Luxurial tor is pectus — 
Densa Juba. It must be remem- 
bered that Virgil describes the fine 
horse for the menage to be trained 



ADDENDA. 



cither for war, or the chariot: 
an English jockey will never agree 
with him, that a brawny chest and 
a thick mane are beauties in a 
horse. 

132. Cursu — As Virgil, according 
to your observation, seems to intend 
these precepts for both species, I 
think cursu qua Hunt refers to the 
exercise proper for the mares, and 
sole fatigant , &c. for the cows. 

299- Turpesque podagras. Many 
farmers, particularly in Warwick- 
shire, call this distemper, the Fouls : 
which, considering the part af- 
fected, is a literal translation of 
Virgil. 

400. Quod surgente — 1 think Vir- 
gil, in his short manner of hinting 
a direction, plainly points out to us 
which milk is best for cheese, and 
which for butter. What you milk 
in the morning and the daytime, 
is to be pressed into cheese at 
night: and what you milk in the 
evening and the night, is to be 
made into butter j and either car- 
ried, sub lucem, very early in the 
morning to market in baskets, be- 
fore the sun will have power to 
melt it, or seasoned with a little 
salt and laid up for use in the win- 
ter. This construction will render 
the passage very clear and expres- 
sive, and remove the difficulties, 
which have so much puzzled the 
commentators in explaining the 
meaning of the word, Calathis. 

478. Hie quondam — It appears 
plain to me that the Poet is speak- 
ing only of a pestilential distemper 
that many years ago invaded the 
Alpine countries; but in what pe- 
riod of time cannot fairly be col- 
lected, neither is it material, not- 
withstanding the names of Chiron 
and Melampus are mentioned $ for 
these I take to be used in general 
for the most eminent physicians. 
And as all raging plagues are at- 
tended with many like circum- 



stances, it is no wonder that hi* 
relation should very much agree 
with those, which Thucydides and 
Lucretius have given us of the 
plague at Athens : though proba- 
bly he might take several hints 
from them to heighten the descrip- 
tion. 

500. Incertus sudor — That incertus 
means it was doubtful whether a 
sweat was a good or bad symptom, 
and that at first they could not 
guess at the event of it, is evident 
I think from the words that follow; 
where he tells us when it comes 
to be a bad one: for when it grows 
cold, it is the forerunner of certain 
death, and consequently till that 
fatal turn, there might be some 
hopes of a recovery. 

553. Inque dies — This represent- 
ation, of the fury's growing larger 
every day, is one remarkable in- 
stance, among many others, of the 
strength of Virgil's imagination : 
and is intended to point out to us 
the gradual increase of a pestilen- 
tial infection till it arrives at the 
full height. There are two other 
instances of growing figures in the 
^Sneid, the one of Fame, lib. iv. 
ver. 1*5. and the other of Alecto, 
1. vii. ver. 448. 

558. Donee humo—\ cannot sup- 
pose that before this they did not 
know how to bury any offensive 
carcases- but I take the meaning 
of this passage to be, that they at- 
tempted to make some profit from 
them, after they were dead; till they 
learnt by experience there was no- 
thing for them to do, but to bury 
them. For, as it follows after- 
wards, neither the hides, nor the 
wool, nor the flesh were found to 
be of any service : but on the con- 
trary some of them produced the 
rrost dreadful effects upon those 
that ventured to make use of them. 
I cannot conclude this note without 
making a short remark of the great 



ADDENDA. 



conformity between the directions 
of Virgil and those of his Majesty's 
order in Council ; and the reasons 
for them both. Here is advice to 
kill and bury, because no remedy 
was found to have any good effect, 
and the infected skins and carcases 
proved of such fatal consequences. 
For the immediate killing, see ver. 
468. for the burying, ver. 558. for 
the insufficiency of medicines, ver. 
548. and for the hurtfulness of the 
infected skins and carcases, ver. 
559. 

Georg. iv. 153. Solce — I wonder 
that the commonwealth of ants 
should escape the observation, or 
the memory of this accurate writer: 
for many of these particulars are as 
justly applicable to them, as to the 
monarchy of bees. 

179. Dadala — This word gives 
one a stronger idea than to be 
barely rendered, artificial: as it 
seems to resemble the works of 



these little animals to the famous 
labyrinth built by Daedalus in Crete. 
372. Eridanus — All travellers 
agree that the Po is not a rapid 
river: neither is it likely that it 
should be so. For the force of a 
current is occasioned by its fall from 
a chain of mountains, or running 
down a steep descent of country : 
but the Po, very soon after its 
source, flows on through the vale 
of Piedmont; and afterwards tra- 
verses all the rich vale of Lom- 
bardy. These are the pinguia culta 
which Virgil speaks of: and there- 
fore very probably he means that 
no river, which runs through so 
long a tract of fertile plains, is 
more violent than the Po. So that 
I think, if Dr. Trapp instead of the, 
had said, 

Thro* such fertile fields, v. 444. 

his translation would have come 
something nearer to the spirit of 
the original. 



I NDEX. 



ABIES, the yew- leaved fir-tree, ii. 
68. 

Abydos, famous for oysters, i. 207. 

Acalanthis considered, iii. 33$. 

Acanthus considered, ii. 119. iv. 123. 

Acerrae, ii. 225. 

Achelous, a solemn word used for 
water, i. 9- 

Acheron, ii. 492. 

Acinus explained, ii, 60. 

Aconite, a poisonous herb, ii. 152. 

Adder or Viper, iii. 417^ 

Adeo signifies chiefly, i. 24. ii. 322. 

Aduro applied to cold, i. 93. 

JEmixthm, see Emathia. 

^stas means warm weather, iii. 322. 

iEstiva explained, iii. 472. 

African shepherds, their manners, 
iii. 339. 

Africus the south-west, iii. 278. 

Alburnus, iii. 147. 

Albus not a different colour from 
candidus, iii. 82. 

Alcinous, his gardens, ii. 87. 

Alder- trees gave the first hint to- 
wards navigation, i. 136. their 
proper soil, ii. 109, 110. grow on 
the banks of the Po, ii. 451. 

Alexander's error concerning the 
source of the Nile, iv. 293. 

Alienis mensibus explained, ii. 149. 

Alpheus, iii. 18. 

Alps, iii. 474. 

Altum used for the air, i. 443. sea, 
i. 324, 443. 

Ambarvalia described, i. 335, 338. 

Amellus described, iv. 251, 271- 

Ameria famous for willows, i. 265. 

Amphrysus, a river of Thessaly, 
iii. 2. 

Amurca, iii. 448. 



Amyclae, iii. 89. famous for dogs, 

iii. 345. 
Anio, a river of Italy, iv. 369. 
Antipodes, i. 231. 
Aonia, iii. 11. 

Aparctias the North, iii. 278. 
Aparine, i. 153. 
Apeliotes the East, iii. 278. 
Apiaster, iv. 14. 
Apiastrum, iv. 63. 
Apium considered, iv. 121. 
Apollo, why called Thyinbraeus, iv. 

323. 
Apples, the various sorts of them, 

ii. 87. 
Aquarius, iii. 303. 
Aquilo the North-East, iii. 278. 
Arachne changed to a spider, iv.246. 
Arbutus, i. 148, 166. iii. 300. why 

called horrida, ii. 69. 
Arcturus, when it rises, i. 67. a. 

stormy sign, i. 204. when it sets, 

i. 228. 
Ardua explained, ii. 66. 
Arethusa* iv. 344. 
Argestes, iii. 278. 
Argilla explained, ii. 180. 
Arimaspians, the ancient inhabitants 

of Muscovy, iii. 196. 
Arista explained, i. 220. 
Aristaeus, i. 14, 15. iv. 315, 317. 
Ascanius, a river of Bceotia, iii. 270. 
Ash used to make spears, ii. 447. 
Asia palus, i. 383. 
Asilus, an insect injurious to kine, 

iii. 138, 148, 149. 
Asius campus, i. 383. 
Aspect of a vineyard, ii. 298. 
Asphaltus, iii. 451. 
Ass wild, iii. 409- 
Astraea, ii. 473. 
* b2 



INDEX. 



Athenian*, vthv called Theseidse, ii. 

383. 
Athos, i. 332. 
Atlantides i- 138. 9,11. 
Atque used for statim, i. 203. 
A vermis, ii. l6l. 
Augustus complimented, i. 24, 28, 

42. iii. 35. his wars, iii. 32. the 

genealogy of his family, iii. 35. 
Aures, parts of a plough, i. 172. 
Aurora, i. 447- borealis, i. 474. 
Auster, the South, iii. 278. wby 

called cold, iii. 279. 
Autumn, when it begins, i. 311. 
Avulsio explained, ii. 53. 
Asof, iii. 349- 



B. 



Bacchus, peculiarly called pater, ii. 
4. the inventor of wine, ibid. 
worshipped jointly with Ceres, i. 

7, 344. 
Bactra, ii. 138. 
Balearides, i. 309- 

Balius, one of the horses of Achilles, 

iii. 91. 
Balsam, ii. 119. 
Barbadoes tar, iii. 451. 
Barley, when sown, i. 208. 
Barren fields, how cured, i. 84. 
Bavaria, iii. 474. 
Bavius, i. 210. 

Baum, good for bees, iv. 62. 
Bay, i. 306. ii. 18. 
Beans, i. 74. when sown, i. 215. 
Bear, the constellation, i. 138. 
Beaver, i. 58. 
Bees, a proper station for them, iv. 

8. their swarming, iv. 51. fight- 
ing, iv. 67. difference, iv. 88, 92. 
how kept at home, iv. 103. how 
their wings may be clipped, iv. 106. 
their polity, iv. 149 compared to 
the Cyclops, iv. 170. their gene- 
ration, iv. 197, 295. sex, iv. 197. 
life, iv. 207. loyalty, iv. 210. 
passionate temper, iv. 228, 236. 
plagues, iv. 239- diseases and re- 
medies, iv. 251. how the loss of 
them may be repaired, iv. 281. 



Bee bread, iv. 38. 

Bee-eater, iv. 14. 

Bee-hives, how made, iv. 33. 

Beech is not the Esculus, ii. 15. 
preferred by the ancients to the 
chesnut, ii. 71. 

Benacus, ii. 160. 

Bidens, an instrument of agricul- 
ture, ii. 355. 

Bipennis, iv. 331. 

Birds to be scared away, i. 118. 

Bisaltse, iii. 46l. 

Bite of a mad dog, how cured, iii. 
496. 

Biton, iii. 531. 

Bitumen, what it is, iii. 451. 

Blatta, an insect, iv. 243. 

Blight, i. 151. 

Blood of horses drunk by the Scy- 
thians, iii. 462. 

Boars, their manner of fighting, iii. 
265. 

Boas, a sort of serpent, iii. 418. 

Bootes, i. 228. 

Boreas, the north-east, iii. 278. 

Bows made of yew, ii. 437- 

Box, ii. 437, 449- 

Brambles used to bind vines, i. 266. 

Brass, how made, ii. 165. 

Broom, ii. 12. 

Bruma the winter solstice, i. 211. 

Bull, when to be admitted to the 
cow, iii. 133. 

Bulls, the fighting of these animals 
described, iii. 209* 

Bullocks, how tamed, iii. 157, 168, 
&c. 

Burdock, i. 153. 

Burgundy trefoil, i. 215. 

Burning the fields, i. 84. 

Burr, i. 153. 

Busiris, iii. 4. 

Butcher's broom, ii. 41S. 



C. 



Cado, used to express the ceasing 

of the wind, i. 354. 4 
Ceestus, iii. 20. 
Caieus, a river of Mvsia, iv. 370. 



INDEX. 



Calathus explained, iii. 402. 

Callisto, i. 138. 

Caltrop, i. 153. 

Calves, how to be treated, iii. 157- 

Camiili, ii. 169. 

Canopus, where situated, iv. 287. 
why called Pellaean, ibid. 

Capistrura ferratum explained, iii. 
399. 

Carbuncle described, iii. 564. 

Carchesium explained, iv. 380. 

Carex considered, iii. 231. 

Carpathus, an island of the Medi- 
terranean, iv. 387. 

Casia explained, ii. 213. iv. 30. 

Castalian spring, iii. 291. 

Castor, a drug, i. 58. 

Castor and Pollux, iii. 89. 

Catacecaumenian wine, iv. 380. 

Caucasus, ii. 440. 

Caudex explained, ii. 78. 

Cavea of the Roman theatre, ii. 381 . 

Caurus, the north-west, iii. 277, 
278. 

Cayster or Caystrus, i. 384. 

Cedar of the Greeks different from 
that of Lebanon, ii. 443. good to 
drive away serpents, iii. 414. 

Celeus, i. 165, 212. 

Centaurs, their fight with the La- 
pithae, ii. 454, 455, 457. 

Centaury, iv. 270. 

Ceraunia, i. 332. 

Ceres, the inventor of agriculture, 
i. 122. worshipped jointly with 
Bacchus, i. 7, 344. why called 
Eleusina mater, i. 163. ^why pop- 
pies were consecrated to her, i. 
212. the sacrifice to her de- 
scribed, i. 335. wine offered to 
her, i. 344. wreaths of oak worn 
in honour of her, ibid. 

Cerinthe, iv. 63. 

Cerinthurn, ibid. 

Chalybes, i. 58. 

Chagrin, iii, 409. 

Chaones, a people of Epirus, i. 8. 

Chaonia, a name of Epirus, ibid. 

Chaos, the original of the gods, iv. 
347. 

Chelydrus, a sort of serpe*nt, iii. 415. 



Cherries, ii. 18. 

Chersydrus, a sort of ierpent, iii. 

425. 
Chesnut, ii. 15. its fruit not esteemed 

by the ancients, ii. 71. 
Chian wines famous among the an- 
cients, ii. 98. 
Chiron, the son of Saturn and Phi- 

lyra, iii. 92. when he lived, iii. 

478. his studies, iii. 550. 
Choaspes, iv. 211. 
Cicada explained, iii. 328. 
Cicones, iv. 520. 
Cimmerians, iii. 357. 
Cinyphus, or Cinyps, a river and 

country of Africa, where Tripoly 

now stands, iii. 311. 
Circensian games, iii. 18. 
Citron, a fruit of Media, ii. 126. its 

taste, ii. 109, 126. a remedy for 

poison, ii. 109, 130. a stinking 

breath, ii. 109, 134. the plant 

described, ii. 109. 
Clanius, ii. 214. 
Cleaver, i. 153. 
Cleobis, iii. 531. 
Clitumnus, ii. 146. 
Clivers, i. 153. 
Clivus explained, iii. 293. 
Cneoron, the same with Casia, ii. 

213. 
Cocytus, iv. 479- 
Cold, the effects of it in the northern 

regions, iii. 349, 360, &c. 
Colligere sitim explained, iii. 327. 
Colt, his good signs, ii. 77, 78, 79, 

&c. 
Compass of the ancients, iii. 278. 
Continuo explained, iii. 75. 
Cork-tree, its bark called cortex by 

way of eminence, iv. 33. 
Corn, the proper soil for it, ii. 177, 

203. 
Cornel used to make spears, ii. 447. 
Cornelian cherry, ii. 34. 
Corn -flag not the hyacinth of the 

poets, iv. 183. 
Corsica infamous for its bad honey, 

iv. 47. 
Corus. See Caurus. 
Corycus, iv. 127. 



INDEX. 



Cotton, ii. 120. 

Country life* its pleasures in oppo- 
sition to those of courts and ci- 
ties, ii. 458. compared to that of 
a philosopher, ii. 490. 

Cow described, iii. 49- 

Cranes, i. 120. 

Crates explained, i. Q5 t 166. 

Crowns made of the Esculus, ii. 15. 

Cucumber beautifully described, iv. 

isi. 

Cuoei, ii. 381, 508. 

Cunila, iv. 31. 

Curbs, why called Lupata, iii. 208. 

Curetes, the preservers of Jupiter, 
iv. 150. 

Currus signifies a wheel- plough, i. 
173. 

Cuttings, ii. 28. of vines how to be 
chosen, ii. 299, 300. 

Cylinder, an instrument of agricul- 
ture, i. 178. 

Cyllarus, iii. 89- 

Cypress, why called Idaean, ii. 84. 
a native of Crete, ibid. 

Cyrene, iv. 321. 

Cythaeron, iii. 43. 

Cytisus, ii. 431. 

Cy torus, ii. 437- 



D. 



Dacians, ii. 497. iii. 462. 

Daffodil considered, iv. 122, 160. 

Danube, ii. 497. 

Darnel, i. 154. 

Darts, of what wood made, ii. 447. 

Days, lucky and unlucky, i. 276, 

277, 284. 
Decii, ii. I69. 

Dedueere rivos explained, i. 269. 
Delos, iii. 6. 
Delphi, iii. 291. 
Delta or lower Egypt described, iv. 

287, 292. 
Densum explained, ii. 227. 
Dentale explained, i. 172. 
Deucalion, i. 60. 
Diacodium, i. 78. 
Dicte, a mountain of Crete, ii. 536. 

iv. 152. 



Dies, the genitive case, i. 208. 

Dii patrii and Indigetes explained, 

i. 498. 
Dodona, i. 8. 
Dogs, how to be treated, iii. 404, 

the different sorts of them, iii. 

405. their madness, iii. 496. 
Dolphin, when it rises, iii. 133. iv. 

234. 
Don, a river of Muscovy, iv. 517. 
Donaria explained, iii. 533. 
Dragon, a northern constellation, i. 

205, 244. 
Draining a wet soil, i. 104. 
Drones, the male bees, iv. 168. 
Dryads, i. 10. ii. 49I. 
Dunging, ii. 346, 347- 
Dwarf-oak not the Esculus, ii. 453. 



Ebony, ii. 116. 

Edurae explained, ii. 65. 

Egyptians adored their kings, iv. 
210. 

Elaeagnus, ii. 182. 

Eleusina mater, i. 163. 

Elis, i. 59. iii. 202. 

Elms, four sorts of them, ii. 83. 
used to prop vines, ii. 18. feed 
cattle, ii. 446. 

Emathia, the ancient name of Thes- 
saly, Macedon, and Epirus, i. 489* 

Endive, not the wild but the garden 
Intybum, i. 120. iv. 120. 

Endymion beloved by the Moon, 
iii. 391. 

Enipeus, a river of Thessaly, iv. 
368. 

Eniteo explained, ii. 211. 

Eose explained, i. 221. 

Eous, the morning star, and one of 
the horses of the sun, i. 288. 

Ephyre, a name of Corinth, ii. 464. 

Epicurus admired, ii. 490. his writ- 
ings, ibid, wrote against the fear 
of death, ii. 491. avoided public 
offices, ii. 495. his notion of 
happiness, ii. 498. his temper, 
ibid, a pattern of temperance, ii. 
500. 



INDEX. 



Epidaurus, iii. 44. 

Epirus, whence so called, i. 59. 
famous for horses, ibid. iii. 321. 
called Chaonia, i. 8. 

Equinox autumnal, i. 211. 

Erebus, iv. 471. 

Ericthonius, the inventor of cha- 
riots, iii. 95, 113. 

Eridanus, i. 4S2. 

Erigone, is the sign Virgo, i. S3. 

Erithace, iv. 38. 

Esculus considered, ii. 15, 453. 

Esseda, a sort of chariots 'used by 
the Britons, iii. 204. 

Ethiopians called Indians, iv. 293. 

Etruria, ii. 533. 

Eurus, the South-East, iii. 277. 
278. 

Eurystheus, iii. 4. 

Eximius, a sacerdotal word, iv. 
538. 



Fair weather, signs of it, i. 393. 

Falernus, ii. 96. 
Fallow of two years, i. 48, 83. 

every other year, i. 79, 33. 
Fan for corn, i. 166. 
Far, i. 73. 
Fasces carried before the Roman 

magistrates, ii. 495. 
Fauns, i. 10. 

Favonius, iii. 323. the West, iii. 278. 
Fear, not the horse but the com- 
panion of Mars, iii. 91. 
Feeding the corn, i. 104, 112. 
Fens very subject to be scorched, 

iii. 432. 
Fermentum explained, iii. 379. 
Fern, ii. 189- 

Ferrugineus considered, iv. 183. 
Ferrugo explained, i. 467. 
Festivals, what works were lawful 

to be done on them, i. 267, 269, 

270, 272. 
Fir, ii. 257. 
Fishes not subject to the plague, 

iii. 541. 
Fishing, i. 141, 142- 
Flax, i. 77. when sown, i. 212. 



Flints beneficial to vines, ii. 189. 
Floor, how to be made, i. 176, 178. 
Foveo considered, iii. 420. 
Fragor considered, iv. 493. 
Frankincense peculiar to Arabia, i. 

57. ii. 117, 139. 
Friuli, iii. 474. 
Fucus, iv. 38, 39. 
Fumigation of bees, iv. 241. 



Galbanum, iii. 415. iv. 264. Ga- 

lesus, iv. 126. 
Galls, what they are, iv. 267. - 
Gangarides, iii. 27. 
Ganges, ii. 137. 
Gardens, a digression concerning 

them, iv. 116. of the ancients, 

iv. 118. 
Gargarus, i. 102, 269. 
Gate of heaven considered, iii. 26l. 
Geloni, ii. 115. 

Genista considered, ii. 12, 434.^ 
Georgicks, when written, i. 500, 

509. iii. 27. iv. 560. 
Germans lived in caves in winter, 

iii. 376. 
Getae, iii. 462. iv. 463. 
Gilvus explained, iii. 83. 
Gladdon stinking, not the hyacinth 

of the Poets, iv. 183. 
Gladiolus, not the hyacinth of the 

Poets, ib. 
Glans explained, i. 305. 
Glaucus, i. 437. iii. 267- a colour, 

considered, iii. 82. 
Goats injurious to vines, ii. 196. 

why sacrificed to Bacchus, ii. 380. 

the care of them, iii. 295, 322. 

their value, iii. 306\ &c. 
Gods in general invoked, i. 21. 
Goose, injurious to corn, i. 119. 

dung burning the grass a vulgar 

error, i. 119. 
Goose-grass, i. 153. 
Grafting, ii. 32, 69, 73. distin- 
guished from inoculating, ii. 73. 
Granum gnidium, ii. 213. 
Gyrus explained, iii. 115. 



INDEX. 



H. 



Haemus, ii. 488. 

Halcyon days, i. 398. 

Harpye, impregnated by the west 

wind, iii. 91. 
Harrowing, i. 94. 
Harvest, the time of it among the 

Romans, iii. 133. 
Hazel destructive to vineyards, ii. 

299. used to bind vines, i. 266. 
Heat of the weather beautifully de- 
scribed, iv. 425. 
Hebrus, iv. 463. why called CEa- 

grian, iv. 524. 
Helicon, where situated, iii. 11. 
Hellebore of two sorts, iii. 451. 
Hermus, ii. 137. 

Hippocrates described the plague at 
Athens, iii. 478. when he flou- 
rished, ibid. 
Hippomanes explained, iii. 266, 

273, 280. 
Hippodame, iii. 7. 
Honey dropped from trees in the 
golden age, i. 131. why called 
aerial and celestial, iv. 1. whence 
produced, ibid, when to be taken, 
iv. 228, 231. 
Honey- wort considered, iv. 63. 
Hordea censured by Bavins and 

Maevius, i. 210. 
Hornet, iv. 245. 
Horreo explained, i. 151. 
Horse first produced by Neptune, 
i. 10. what country most famous 
for them, i. 59. described, iii. 72. 
how to be treated when old, iii. 
95, 96. their best age, iii. 100. 
how to be bred, iii. 179. when to 
break them, iii. 190. their pesti- 
lence, iii. 498. 
Husbandry nearly related to phi- 
losophy, ii. 493. preferable to 
other employments, ii. 503, 513. 
Husbandry, greatly esteemed by the 

ancient Romans, ii. 534. 
Hyacinth of the poets considered, 

iv. 183. 
Hyades, i. 138. 
Hyaltis explained, iv. 335. 



Hydaspes, iv. 211. 

Hylas, iii. 6. 

Hypanis, a river of Scythia, ir. 

370. 
Hyperboreans, iii. 196. 



Iacchus, a sacred name of Bacchus, 

i. 166. 
Iapidia, iii. 474. 
Iapygia, ibid. 
Iberi, iii. 408. 

Ida famous for pitch -trees, iv. 41. 
Idumaea famous for palms, iii. 12. 
Jews-pitch, iii. 451. 
Ilex not the Esculus, ii. 453. 
Illaudatus considered, iii. 4. 
Imprudens explained, i. 373. 
Indigetes explained, i. 498. 
Indignus explained, ii. 373. 
Inferiae, iv. 545. 
Infula, what it was, iii. 487. 
Inhorreo explained, i. 314. 
Ino, i. 437. 
Inoculating, ii. 73. 
Inserere arborem explained, ii. 50. 
Intybum, not endive but succorv, 

i. 120. 
Invisere expressive of divinitv, i. 

25. 
lo, iii. 152. 
I sis, ibid. 
Ismarus, ii. 37- 
Ister, ii. 497- iii. 350. 
Italy, whence so called, iii. 148. 
famous for kine, ibid, praised, ii. 
136. 
Ityraeans, ii. 448. 
Jujube tree, ii. 84, 182. 
Julian family, whence derived, iii. 

35. 
Juno, the earth, ii. 325. 
Jupiter, the author of tillage, i. 
118, 121. not the inventor of it, 
i. 122. vEther or Sky, ii. 325. his 
grove, iii. 181. 
Jvory, the best from India, i. 57. 
Ivy, ii. 258. 
Ixion, iv. 484. , 



INDEX. 



K. 



Kidney-beans, i. 227. when to be 

sown, i. 228. 
Kids, a stormy sign, i. 205. 
Kine, a disease among them in 

England, iii. 536. 



L. 



Laconia famous for dogs, iii. 345. 
Lactans and lactens explained, i. 

315. 
Lseva numina considered, iv. 7. 
Lago di Como, ii. 159. Garda, ii. 

160. 
Lapithae, the inventors of riding, 

iii. 95, 115. 
Laplanders, their manners, iii. 196. 
Lappa, i. 253. 
Larius, ii. 159. 
Lark's-spur, not the hyacinth of 

the poets, iv. 183. 
Lavender falsely supposed to be the 

Casia, ii. 213. 
Laurel, i. 306. 
Laurocerasus, ibid. 
Laurus is not the laurel, but the 

bay, ibid. 
Layers, ii. 26. 
League, the most ancient among 

the Romans, iv. 131. 
Lees of oil, their uses, iii. 448. 
Lego, a term in naval affairs, ii. 44. 
Legumen explained, i. 74. 
Lentils, why called Pelusian, i. 228. 

when to be sown, ibid. 
Leopard described, iii. 264. 
Lethe, i. 78. 
Leucothea, i. 437. 
Libations, ii. 101. 
Libra not anciently accounted one 

of the signs of the Zodiac, i. 33. 
Libs, the south west, iii. 278. 
Libum explained, ii. 394. 
Ligurians, ii. 168. 
Lilies, iv. 130. 
Lily, red, not the hyacinth of the 

poets, iv. 183. 
Lime, ii. 449. iv. 141. 



Litharge, iii. 449. 

Lituus explained, iii. 183. 

Lizards, iv. 13. 

Lolium, i. 154. 

Lopping, i. 118. 

Lotus considered, ii. 84. iii. 394. 

Lucern, i. 215. 

Lucifer, iii. 324. 

Lucky days, i. 2/6, 284. 

Lucretius described the plague at 

Athens, iii. 478. 
Lucrinus, ii. 16 J. 
Lupatum, why so called, iii. 208. 
Lupines, i. 75. 
Lust, its violent effects, iii. 209, 

242. 
Lybia, the Greek name for Africa, 

iii. 249, 339. 
Lycaeus, a mountain of Arcadia, iii. 

2, 314. 
Lycus, a river of Armenia, iv. 367. 
Lydia, iv. 210. 
Lynx described, iii. 264. 
Lyre of the ancients, iv. 464. 



M. 



Maeonia, iv. 380. 

Maeotis, iii. 349. 

Maevius, i. 210. 

Majorca, i. 309. 

Male used for non, i. 105. 

Malt liquor used by the ancients, 

iii. 379. 
Manes explained, iv. 469. 
Mantelium explained, iv. 377. 
Mantua, ii. 198. 
Mareia, ii. 91. 
Mareotis, ibid. 
Mares, at what time to be covered, 

iii. 133. violently affected by 

lust, iii. 266. impregnated by the 

wind, iii. 266, 273. 
Marii, ii. 169. 
Mars, his horses, iii. 89. 
Marsi, ii. 167. 
Martagon, the hyacinth of the poets, 

iv. 183. 
Massicus, famous for wine, ii. 143. 
Maturare explained, i. 261. 

*c 



INDEX. 



Matuta, i. 43?. 

Maw-seed, i. 78. 

Medes remarkably obedient to their 

kings, iv. 211. 
Medica, i. 215, 216. 
Medic fodder, i. 215. 
Melampus, iii. 550. 
Melicerta, i. 437. 
Melisphyllon, iv. 63. 
Melissa, ibid. 

Mella, a river of Lombardy, iv. 278. 
Merops, iv. 14. 
Metals, plenty of them in Italy, ii. 

165. 
Methymna, ii. 90. 
Meto used for gathering any sort 

of produce, ii. 410. 
Miletus, famous for wool, iii. 306. 
Milk, iii. 394. 
Minerva, the discoverer of the olive, 

i. 18. ii, 181. 
Minorca, i. 309. 
Maesia, i. 102. 
Moles are not blind, i. 183. 
Mollibus stabulis explained, iii. 295. 
Molorchus, iii. 19. 
Monk's-hood, a poisonous herb, ii. 

152. 
Monochord, how invented, iv. 175. 
Montfaucon corrected, i. 344. 
Moon seduced by Pan, iii. 391. 
Moth, iv. 246. 

Mox signifies hereafter, i. 24. 
Mycenae famous for horses, iii. 121. 
Myrtle sacred to Venus, i. 28. ii. 

64. why called cruenta, i. 306. 

Paphian, ii. 64. its proper soil, 

ii. 112. used to make spears, ii. 

447. delights in growing near the 

shore, iv. 124. 
Mysia, i. 102. 



N. 



Nabca, ii. 84. 
Naiads, ii. 494. 

Narcissus considered, iv. 122, 160. 
Narycium, ii. 438. 
Naryx, ibid. 

Navigation, the first hint of it, i. 
136. 



Nectar, used for wine, iv. 384. 

Negro, a river of Italy, iii. 151. 

Nemeaean games, iii. 19. 

Neptune, the first producer of a 
horse, i. 12, 13. iii. 122. 

Nequicquam explained, i, 192, 403. 

Nereids, ii. 494. 

Nettle tree, not the lotus of the 
ancients, ii. 84. 

Nightingale, a beautiful simile 
drawn from the singing of this 
bird, iv. 511. 

Nile, where it rises, iv. 287, 292, 
293. 

Niphates, iii. 30. 

Nisus and Scylla, i. 405. 

Noricum, iii. 474. 

Notus, the south, iii. 278. 

Novalis explained, i. 71. 

Numidians, their origin and man- 
ners, iii. 339. 

Nux signifies a walnut-tree, i. 187- 

Nymphs, ii. 494. 



O. 



Oak, sacred to Jupiter, ii. 67. 

Oats wild, not a degeneracy of 
corn, i. 154. 

Occatio, i. 94. 

Oceanus, the father of the Gods, 
iv. 382. 

(Ebalia, iv. 125. 

(Estros. See Asilus. 

Oil, when made, ii. 519. the uses 
of its lees, iii. 448. 

Oleaster, ii. 182. 

Olive, discovered by Minerva, i. 18. 
ii. 181. its various sorts, ii. 85. 
proper soil, ii. 177, 179. requires 
but little culture, ii. 420. a slow 
grower, ii. 3, 181. propagated 
by dry pieces of the trunk, ii. 30. 
truncheons, ii. 63. time of ga- 
thering, ii. 519. wild, ii. 182. 
not to be planted in vineyards, 
ii. 302. 

Olympic games, where held, i. 59. 
iii. 19. the victors carried palms, 
iii. 49. 



INDEX. 



Onager, or wild ass, iii. 409. 

Opium, i. 78. 

Orchestra, ii. 381. 

Oreads, ii. 494. 

Orgies of Bacchus, iv. 521. 

Orithyia, iv. 463. 

Ornus, ii. 71, 111. 

Orpheus, iv. 454. 

Oscilla explained , ii. 389. 

Osier, ii. 12. 

Osiris, i. 19. 

Overflowing the ground, i. 104. 

Ounce described, iii. 264. 

Oxen not killed by the ancients, ii. 

537. 
Oxymyrsine, ii. 413. 



P. 



Paestum, famous for roses, iv. 119. 

Pagus, its etymology, ii. 382. 

Palaemon, i. 437. 

Palatium explained, i. 499. 

Pales, iii. 1. 

Palilia, a Roman feast, iii. 1. 

Paliurus, ii. 84. 

Pallas, the discoverer of the olive- 
tree, ii. 181. 

Pallene, iv. 191. 

Palm, of several sorts, iv. 20. why 
called ardua, ii. 66. a slow grower, 
ibid, abounds in Idumaea, iii. 12. 
used for crowns, ibid, carried by 
the victors in the Olympic games, 
iii. 49. 

Pan, i. 16. ii. 494. his amour with 
the moon, iii. 391. 

Panchaea, iv. 379. 

Pangaea, iv. 462. 

Panopea, i. 437. 

Parnassus, iii. 291. 

Paros, iii. 34. 

Parthenope, the ancient name of 
Naples, iv. 564. 

Parthia, iv. 211. 

Parthians, iii. 31. their submission 
to their kings, iv. 211. 

Passum explained, iii. 93. 

Pasture, the proper soil for it, ii. 
177. 



Pears, the various sorts of them, 

ii. 88. 
Peletronium, iii. 115. 
Pelion, iii. 94. 
Pella, the metropolis of Macedonia, 

iv. 287. 
Pelops, iii. 7. 
Penates, i. 498. 

Peneus, a river of Thessaly, iv. 317. 
Pentathlum, iii. 20. 
Pernix considered, iii. 230. 
Persia, the bounds of it, iv. 290. 
Persians remarkably obedient to 

their kings, iv. 211. 
Pestis explained, iii. 471. 
Phanaea, ii. 98. 
Pharsalia, the battle there, i. 489. 

its situation, ibid. 
Phasis, a river of Armenia, iv. 367. 
Philippi, the battle there, i. 489. 
Philippi, not the Thessalian Thebes, 

ibid. 
Philomela, her story, iv. 15, 511. 
Philyra, the mother of Chiron, iii. 

92. 
Pisa, iii. 180. 

Pitch, why called Idaean, ii. 450. 
Pitch-tree, ii. 257. 
Plague among the cattle described, 

iii. 470. 
Plane-tree, ii. 70. 
Planting by suckers, ii. 23, 65. 

sets, ii. 24, 64. layers, ii. 26, 

63, 65. cuttings, ii. 28, 63. dry 

pieces of the trunk, ii. 30. trun- 
cheons, ii. 63. 
Platanus, ii. 70. 
Pleiades, i. 138, 221. when they 

rise, iv. 232. set, iv. 234. 
Pliny quotes Virgil erroneously, ii. 

72. 
Plough described, i. I69, 175. 
Ploughing, when to begin, i. 43, 

64. 
Plurimus used for very much, or 

plentifully, i. 187- ii. 183. iii. 52. 
Po, ii. 452. 
Podarge, iii. 91- 
Poles, i. 231, 240. 
Pollux, iii. 89. 
Pomps, iii. 22. 
*c2 



INDEX. 



Pomum explained, i. 274. ii. 59* 

Poplar, three sorts of it, ii. 13. 
sacred to Hercules, ii. 66. remark- 
able for the tremblingof its leaves, 
iv. 511. 

Poppies, i. 78. when sown, i. 212. 
why called cereales, ibid. 

Portunus, i. 437. 

Poscenium explained, ii. 381. 

Position of trees to be regarded, ii. 
269. 

Potnia, iii. 267. 

Praetorium, iv. 75. 

Premere virgulta explained, ii. 346. 
iv. 131. 

Priapus, where worshipped, iv. 111. 

Procne, her story, iv. ] 5. 

Prodigies at Caesar's death, i. 466. 

Propagatio explained, ii. 26. 

Propago, ibid. 

Properare explained, i. 26l. 

Propolis, iv. 38. 

Proscenium explained, ii. 381 . 

Proscindo explained, i. 97- 

Proteus, his character, iv. 374, 388 3 
391, 394, 405. 

Purple of Tyre, ii. 465. 

Putris explained, i. 215. ii. 204. 

Pyrrha, i. 62. 

Pythagoras, the inventor of the 
monochord, iv. 175. 



Q. 

Quash, whence derived, i. 74. 
Quicken-tree, ii. 71. 
Quincunx explained, ii. 277- 
Quondam interpreted, iii. 99. 



R. 



Rain, the signs of it, i. 370. 
Rarum explained, ii. 227. 
Rastrum used for a harrow, i. 95, 

164, 213. 
Red, that colour applied to the sea, 

iii. 359' 
Remus, ii. 533. 
Relicti considered, iv. 127. 



Reponit explained, iii. 76~ 

Rhaetia, ii. 95. 

Rhesus, iv. 462. 

Rhodope, i. 332. iii. 351, 462. iv. 

461. 
Riding, by whom invented, iii. 95, 

115. 
Riphaean mountains, iii. 196, 382. 
Rivers, whence they arise, iv. 363. 
Robigo explained, i. 151. 
Robur signifies timber, i. 162. 
Roman soldiers, how loaded on a 

march, iii. 346. 
Rome, on what day founded, iii. 1. 

its seven hills, ii. 535. 
Romulus, ii. 533. 
Rosemary used in sprinkling, ii. 

213. 
Rudis explained, ii. 211. 
Ruit explained, i. 324. 
Ruscus, ii. 413. 



S. 



Sabelli, ii. 167. 

Sabines, ii. 532. 

Saecula explained, i. 468. 

Saffron, i. 56. 

Sagmina, iv. 131. 

Saltus explained, ii. 471. 

Sandaraca, iv. 63. 

Sarmatae, live under ground in 

winter, iii. 376. 
Sarra, an ancient name of Tyre, ii. 

506, 
Satureia, iv. 30. 
Saturn turns himself into a horse, 

ii. 95. 
Savoury, iv. 30. 
Scab, the cause of it in sheep, iii. 

441. medicines to prevent or cure 

it, iii. 447, 448. 
Scarlet oak, not the Esculus, ii. 

453. 
Scene of the Roman theatre, ii. 381. 
Schetland, the ancient Thule, i. 30. 
Scipiades, ii. 170. 
Scorpion, the sign, why called 

ardent, i. 34. 
Scyila, i. 405. 



INDEX. 



Scythian, a name for all the north- 
ern nations, iii. 196, 349. shep- 
herds, their manners, iii. 349. 

Sea, why called purple, iii. 359. iv. 
373. 

Seges usually signifies the field, i. 1, 
48. ii. 266. iv. 129. 

Selo, a river of Italy, iii. 146. 

Semen used for cuttings, slips, and 
layers, ii. 268. 

Seneca censures Virgil unjustly, i. 
216. quotes him erroneously, ii. 
95. 

Septem trio, the north, iii. 278. the 
bear, iii. 381. 

Seres, ii. 121. 

Serpyllum, iv. 30. 

Sets, ii. 24. 

Sheep, fruitful in Italy, ii. 150. go 
150 days with young, ibid, how 
they are to be treated, iii. 295. 
322. their diseases, 298, 299. 

Shells to be buried at the roots of 
vines, ii. 346, 347. 

Shepherds assisted Romulus and 
Remus in founding Rome, ii. 533. 
ancient of Canaan and Africa, iii. 
339, 344. Scythia, iii. 349. 

Shrub, how it differs from a tree, ii. 
21. 

Sicyon, ii. 519. 

Silarus, iii. 146. 

Siler, ii. 12. 

Silk, ii. 121. 

Sinus explained, iii. 39. 

Sisyphus, iii. 238. 

Slow months explained, i. 32. 

Smut is not Robigo, i. 151. 

Soils how to be distinguished, ii. 
226. 

Solstice, winter, i. 211. 

Solstitium signifies only the summer 
solstice, i. 100. 

Soul of the world, iv. 221, 226. 

South wind, why called black, iii. 
278. cold, iii. 279- 

Spadix considered, iii. 82. 

Spatium explained, i. 513. 

Spears, of what wood made, ii. 447. 
Spelt, i. 73. 

Sperchius, ii. 487. 



Spring, when it begins, i. 43. the 
season for the generation of ani- 
mals, ii. 329. 

Spruce-fir, ii. 257. 

Spuma argenti explained, iii. 449. 

Squill or sea-onion, iii. 451. 

Stags, the effect of lust on them, 
iii. 265. 

Star of Julius Caesar, i. 488. 

Stiva explained, i. 173. 

Stones to be buried at the roots of 
vines, iii. 346, 347. 

Stork, when it comes into Italy, ii. 
320. 

Storm described, i. 311. 

Strawberry-tree, i. 148. 

Stringere explained, i. 305, 317. 

Strymon, a river of Macedon, iv. 
508. 

Styx, iv. 479- 

Subsolanus, the east, iii. 278. 

Succiditur explained, i. 297. 

Succory, i. 120. 

Suckers, ii. 23. 

Suculae, an improper name for the 
Hyades, i. 138. 

Sun, its prognostics, i. 438. pale- 
ness after Caesar's death, i. 466. 

Surculus, ii. 28. 

Swallow, injurious to bees, iv. 15. 
when it first appears, iv. 307. 

Swift, a sort of lizard, iv. 242. 

Swine, subject to disorders of the 
throat, iii. 497. 

Sylvanus, i. 20. ii. 494. 



T. 



Tabularium, ii. 502. 

Tabulatum explained, ii. 36l. 

Taburnus, ii. 38. 

Taburo, ibid. 

Taeda, ii. 431. 

Taenarus, iv. 467. 

Tanagrus, a river of Italy, iii. 151. 

Tanais, a river of Muscovy, iv. 

517. 
Tarentum, ii. 193. iv. 125. 
"Tares, i. 75. 
Tares, when to be sown, i. 228. 



INDEX. 



Tar, iii. 450. 

Taurus, when the sun enters that 

sign, i. 217. 
Taygeta, ii. 4. iii. 444. 
Te mo explained, i. 87. iv. 171. 
Tempe, ii. 469. iv. 317. 
Tempestates signifies storms, i. 27, 

252. 
Tempestivus explained, i. 256. 
Terror, not the horse but the com- 
panion of Mars, iii. 91. 
Tethys, i. 31. 
Thasus, ii. 91. 
Theseidae explained, ii. 383. 
Thistle, i. 151. 
Thucydides, his description of the 

plague at Athens, iii. 478. 
Thule is Shetland, i. 30. 
Thymbra, iv. 30. 
Thymbraeus, a name of Apollo, iv. 

323. 
Thyme of the ancients, iv. 112. 

wild, or mother of thyme, iv. 30. 
Thymelaea is the same with Casia, 

ii. 213. 
Tiger described, iii. 264. 
Timavus, iii. 474. 
Tithonus, i. 447. iii. 48. turned to 

a Cicada, iii. 328. 
Tmolus, famous for saffron, i. 56. 

wine, ii. 98. 
Tondeo used for the grazing of 

cattle, i. 71. 
Tophus explained, ii. 214. 
Torches of the ancients, i. 292. 
Tragedy, its etymology, ii. 382. ori- 
ginal, ii. 383. 
Trahea, a threshing instrument, i. 

164, 298. 
Transplanting of great trees, iv. 146. 
Tree, how it differs from a shrub, 

ii. 21. 
Trenches for vines, ii. 288, 289. 
Trepidare explained, iv. 69. 
Tribulum, a threshing instrument, 

i. 164, 298. 
Tribulus, the name of a plant, and 

an instrument used in war, i. 

153. 
Triones, whence derived, iii. 381. 
Tripoly in Africa, iii. 311. 



Triptolemus, i. 19. 

Triticum is a bearded corn, i. 219. 

Troy, when and by whom founded, 

iii. 36. 
Truncheons explained, ii. 63. 
Truncus explained, ii. 63, 78. 
Tuscany, ii. 533. 
Tyber, i. 499. iv. 369. 
Tyre anciently called Sarra, ii. 506. 
Tyrian purple, ii. 465. iii. 17. 



Uber explained, ii. 275. 

Vellere signa explained, iv. 108. 

Verbena considered, iv. 131. 

Vergiliae, i. 138. 

Veru distinguished from Pilum, ii. 
168. 

Vesevus the same with Vesuvius, ii. 
224. 

Vasta, two of them among the an- 
cients, iv. 384. 

Vetches, i. 75. when to be sown, 
i. 228. 

Vinaceum explained, ii. 60. 

Vines, the various sorts of them, ii. 
91, &c. not accounted trees, ii. 
290. how best propagated, ii. 63. 
when to be planted, ii. 321. 
pruned, ii. 403. their proper si- 
tuation, ii. 109. soil, ii. 177, 184, 
189. distance, ii. 277. 

Vineyard compared to a Roman 
army, ii. 252. 

Viper or adder, iii. 417. 

Virgil vindicated against Pliny, i. 
100. Quintilian, iii. 79. Seneca, 
i. 216. his description of a cha- 
riot race preferred to Homer's, 
iii. 111. a follower both of Epi- 
curus and Plato, iv.219. unjustly 
suspected of an unnatural vice, 
iv. 520. 

Virosus not always used for poison- 
ous, i. 58, 129. 

Vitta, what it was, iii. 487- 

Ulna considered, iii. 355. 

Ulva considered, iii. 175. 

Unedo, i. 148. 



INDEX. 



Unlucky days, i. 276, 277. 

Volsci, ii. 168. 

Voluptas explained, iii. 130. 

Ursa major, i. 338. 

Urus, ii. 374. 

Uva explained, ii. 60. 

Vulcan used for a large fire, i. 295. 

Vulturnus, the south-east, iii. 278. 



W. 

Water said to be first produced by 

Neptune, i. 13. 
Wax, iv. 38. 
Weeding, i. 118. 
West wind called Favonius and Ze- 

phyrus, iii. 322. 
Willow described, ii. 13. four sorts 

of it, ii. 84. where the best grow, 

i. 265. their proper soil, ii. 10& 

110. use, ii. 446. 
Wind rising, the signs of it, i. 

356. 
Wine, rivers of it in the golden age, 

i. 132. offered to Ceres, i. 344. 

its ill effects, ii. 454. frozen in 

the northern regions, iii. 364. 

made of fruits, iii 79. given to 

horses by the ancients, iii. 509. 
Winter, when it begins, ii. 519. 



Wolfs-bane, a poisonous herb, ii. 

152. 
Wool, not so good on fat cattle, iii. 

385. softness of it essential in a 

good sheep, iii. 386. 



X. 



Xanthus, one of the horses of 

Achilles, iii. 91. 
Xyris, not the hyacinth of the poets, 

iv. 183. 



Yews love a cold situation, ii. 109. 
reputed poisonous, ii. 257- iv. 47. 
used to make bows, ii. 434. 



Z. 



Zea, i. 73. 

Zephyrus, iii. 273, 322. the west, 

iii. 298, 322. 
Zizyphus, ii. 84. 
Zodiac, i. 33, 231, 238. 
Zones, i. 231, 233. 



FINIS. 



BAXTER, PRINTER, OXFORD. 



8 



L : 



